Steal a heart as fast as you stole mine
by BreyerRose
Summary: Alex wasn't looking for love, he wasn't even looking for a girl to spend the evening with. Chris had dragged him out after the show. But when Alex encounters Hollywood's newest beautiful trainwreck, Keegan Malloy, fate seems to have other things in mind.
1. Chapter 1

~ This is a new story I'm trying out, please let me know if you like it. Keegan Malloy is mine any similarities are accidental; this is all fictional. Please review and let me know what you think. Honesty is the best policy ~

Lauren Williams = Angelina Love

Jamie Szantyr = Velvet Sky

This is what Keegan looks like: (I couldn't get the hyperlink to wok like I wanted, so if you would like to see what Keegan looks like please copy and paste. Thank-you)

.com/file_thumbview_approve/2157553/2/istockphoto_2157553_auburn_hair_and_green_

~Chapter 1~

Chris Sabin was lounging in the locker room that he shared with his tag team partner, Alex Shelley. He was waiting for the younger boy to return from retrieving a script for the nights taping. Chris was absently flipping through the magazine he had bought from the airport last night. He'd slept most of the flight from Danbury Connecticut back to Orlando, and had not gotten the chance to read the magazine he had purchased. Just then Alex came in looking over the script for the evening.

"Can you believe that Angelina Jolie wants to adopt another kid?" Chris threw at him.

Alex raised an eyebrow at his long time friend. "You don't say."

"Yeah man. That'll be like what… 17."

Alex indulged himself in a chuckle before addressing more important matters.

"So, we're finally turning. We get to give Creed major attitude tonight after the match."

"So that means we're losing again," Chris sighed.

"To quote Cornett 'we're just waiting for the right time to let you break out'."

"Well fuck, they wait any longer and it'll be time for us to retire."

"Tell me about it," Alex tossed the heavy booklet down onto the bench.

Chris went back to his magazine with a roll of his baby blues.

"Why do you read that crap?" Alex questioned reappearing from the small connecting bathroom.

The blonde shrugged. "I don't know, lack of anything else."

Alex laughed. "So don't like pick up a book or anything, just rot your brain with all the garbage in the gossip columns."

"Yup."

The brunette shook his head fishing his cell phone out of his duffel bag.

"Dude, she's gotta be due for rehab soon," Chris muttered.

"Dare I ask who this week?" Alex ventured.

"Keegan Malloy. There's a picture of her literally being carried out of a club. Even all passed out she's still hot as hell." Chris offered the page to Alex.

Alex glanced up at the picture of the young girl sprawled out in the arms of her large body guard while he tried to escape unseen out of a back alley of a club.

"Hmm, didn't she have a movie come out just last month?" He asked.

"Yeah, the cool one where she played the double agent, she was bad ass in that bro. Man that little black dress she wore at the end should've been illegal it was so damn hot."

Alex chuckled at his friend. "Isn't that the one you dragged me to with Lauren and Jamie?"

"Uh-huh." Chris nodded. "Speaking of which, they wanted to know if we would go out with them tonight after the show."

"Aww man, I don't know. Anyone else going?"

"A bunch of people I guess. You know they bring the party man."

"Dude, you gotta stop talking to Jamie so much, you're beginning to sound just like her," Alex laughed.

Chris shrugged. "It might not be such a bad idea if you went though. Word on the street is a certain knockout's got the hotts for you."

Alex furrowed his eyebrows. With a shake of his head he proceeded to check his e-mail.

"Not that I'm trying to set you up or anything, but like would a double date really be a bad thing?" Chris continued.

"Here we go again," Alex couldn't help but to roll his chestnut brown eyes. "Not everyone needs to be paired up like we're on Noah's Ark, I'm fine. You make it sound like I don't go out at all."

"You don't."

"Read your magazine and never mind my love life," the brunette glared.

"I'm done, you can look at it. I'm gonna go find the girls and tell them we're in," Chris stood up from the bench and stretched.

"I didn't say I was going," Alex reminded.

"I know," the blonde threw a smirk back on his way out the door.

"Chris," the younger boy called in vain.

Alex heaved a sigh in partial annoyance. His partner meant well, but he really just wished Chris would mind his own business. Alex had a sneaking suspicion who the certain knockout was, and even though he liked Lauren as a friend, she just wasn't what he was looking for; hell he wasn't even looking at this point. After perusing his e-mail, he glanced down at the tabloid that Chris had. Despite the teasing he'd given his friend he picked up the magazine. He thumbed through the pages stopping on the picture of Keegan Malloy.

Her large mountain of a body guard held her small frame in his arms as he hurried out the back exit of some local club. Her head was hanging back off his thick right arm, mouth open wide. Her dark scarlet hair was unruly and obviously all in knots form her nightly excursions. The once elaborate eye make up was smeared all around her closed eyes, even slipping down her ivory cheeks. It was probably one of the most unflattering photos Alex had ever seen, and he'd taken his share of unscrupulous pictures.

"Chris is right, she's still crazy hot," he concluded.

A knock on the door drew his attention from the beautiful tragedy on the glossy pages. A.J. Styles let himself into the locker room.

"Hey Alex," he smiled.

"'Sup dude," the arbitrator of the once infamous paparazzi productions greeted.

"Just came by to tell you they're switching up the order tonight. Your match is gonna be 5th in so that they can push 'The Sting' segment more to build up your lack of respect and what not."

"So the rumors are true. The Guns are turning heel."

"Apparently. I'm not sure how far this whole respect angle is gonna go, but management is totally gonna milk it." The Georgia native replied. "Hell, as long as it gives you guys some more T.V. time you gotta be happy."

"Well I'm not gonna be the one to argue if they wanna dole it out, but I just hope whatever we're doing it doesn't suck. The last thing I wanna do is repeat the Kevin fiasco."

A.J. laughed heartily. "Totally tellin' Big Kev you said that."

It was Alex's turn to chuckle. "I'll just have to deny it."

"Yo, we're totally hitting up Addiction tonight," Chris barged through the door like he was announcing the cure for cancer. "Lauren and Jamie got it all set. Christy's coming too."

"Great," Alex rolled his eyes.

"A.J. you got plans for after the show? It's gonna be rad bro," the blonde assured.

"I'm not into that man, besides I'm married and stuff."

"You could come chill and have a beer with us if you wanted," Chris informed.

A.J. smiled but shook his head. "I'll take a rain check. Next time you guys go out, I'm totally there."

"You just sunk your own battle ship my man," Alex concluded. "He'll hold you to that."

"Alex is just being a bitch. Ignore him."

A.J. chuckled and then took his leave. He had some things to go over with Joe.

"You're really dragging me to some club tonight?" the younger member of the team muttered.

"Hellz yeah son. And you're gonna have fun if it kills you," his friend affirmed.

"What if I kill you to get out of it, does that count?"

"Hardly. Dude, you might just have a good time if you put a little effort into it. You're always so pessimistic when we go out."

"I just get bored. We never go anywhere cool," Alex argued

"Well Addiction is the hottest spot in Orlando man. It's definitely not going to be boring."

Alex sighed. "I hope so."

Chris beamed his California bright smile. "You'll see."


	2. Chapter 2

~I know that Chris and Alex aren't their real names, but don't they just look like a Chris and Alex? Lol. Besides, Patrick is just too long to type. Please let me know what you think, reviews are very much appreciated.~

Jeremy Fritz = Eric Young

Jamar Shipman = Jay Lethal

Jason Reso = Christian Cage

~Chapter2~

The club was surrounded by paparazzi when the group arrived. The two black escalades pulled up and immediately the photographers had started snapping pictures. As the group exited the cars there were a few whispers as to who they were, but some of the guys recognized Lauren and Jamie. Choruses of "Angelina" and "Velvet" seemed to signify that the camera flashes were not being wasted. Christy Hemme also drew most of the attention, allowing the males accompanying them to sneak on by.

"That job must get boring," Jeremy Fritz commented as they made it past the bouncer.

"Well, Alex would know," Chris nudged his best friend. "Did you enjoy harassing people via camera?"

"It was awesome. I especially loved the videos I got of you that I posted on you tube." The brunette quipped.

"That wasn't funny dude. You said you wouldn't do anything if I got drunk."

Alex simply shrugged. "Guess you'll think twice 'bout passing out first and being a pansy."

"Asshole," Chris rolled his eyes.

"Damn, I still see spots," Jamie blinked her hazel eyes quickly. "I don't think I could do that every night that was intense."

"You can get in the ring and take on Kong and that was intense?" Christy teased slipping some of her long red hair behind her ear.

"Dude, I'd take Kong any day over that." The pretty blonde agreed.

"I see you beautiful ladies finally satisfied your adoring fans," Chris slipped his arm around Jamie's shoulders. She smiled up at him as he continued, "Might I say, that those pictures will never do you justice."

Christy rolled her blue eyes, "Sabin, you're such a dork. Isn't it obvious that she's crazy 'bout you boy, lay off the cheesy lines."

The sassy knockout didn't even stay to see the blush stain his cheeks; she headed for the large circular booth that the other wrestlers had picked out. Lauren giggled and winked at her friend then followed Christy's lead.

"Well I thought it was very sweet," Jamie assured.

"Good, that's all I care about then." Chris nodded.

Jamie blushed this time, and Chris took the opportunity to slip his hand into hers. She looked up at him through her eyelashes for a moment; both had shy smiles on their faces. Chris began to lead her to the table that the others had all gathered around.

Jamar grinned at Chris and elbowed Jeremy in the side. The blonde turned to the darker man with a scowl on his face, but that quickly morphed into a smile when he saw his friends holding hands. The sometimes superhero tapped Lauren on the arm and pointed over to Chris and Jamie. A huge smile broke out over her face and she motioned for Christy to look behind her. She turned around and watched as the two slid easily into the booth in the midst of the others.

"Christ you guys stop staring, I feel like I'm display at the zoo," Jamie admonished.

"It took you guys long enough," Christy replied.

"Shut it Red," Chris smirked. "I happen to know from very good sources that you and Jimmy are still dancing around the subject when it's soooo obvious the blind would need sunglasses."

"It's complicated with me and Jimmy. Shut up," she blushed in spite of herself.

The remainder of the table chuckled at the unusual shut down. Alex sighed and rested his chin on his fist. Lauren turned to her right, casting a slight frown at his obvious lack of enthusiasm. She leaned close to be heard over the other voices.

"You don't look like you're having fun, what's wrong?"

"Hmm, oh nothing." He turned to face her. "Just tired is all. I really didn't wanna come tonight, Chris made me."

"Oh," her smile faltered just a bit. "Well, I'm glad you're here."

Alex raised an eyebrow and Lauren quickly continued.

"I mean, Jamie and Chris are gonna be occupied for a while. We could keep each other company."

Alex smiled at her. "Yeah, having a _friend _around when you're being ignored is nice."

The corners of Lauren's glossed pout fell down and she whispered, "exactly."

Alex's stomach knotted at her crestfallen features. "I'm glad that I came tonight Lore. I like hanging out with you."

She forced some of the brilliant smile back, "we just don't have a subject to dance around though, do we?"

"You wouldn't want to dance with me anyway. I suck at it," he hoped his attempt at humor softened the blow for her.

Lauren couldn't help but to smirk. With a roll of her grey blue eyes she replied, "Alex Shelley you are impossible. Go get me a drink bitch."

He chuckled at her. "This isn't going to become a habit babe. I may be impossible but I ain't no chick's bitch."

Lauren laughed and flipped her platinum blonde hair back. "Chris, tell your friend that you aren't supposed to talk to a lady like that."

"Dude, he's a lost cause. I've tried and it's pointless."

Alex flipped him off on his way to the bar.

"Lore, you okay?" Jamie whispered leaning away from Chris.

Lauren took a deep breath then nodded solemnly. "You look like you're on cloud nine."

Jamie giggled and placed her hand softly on Chris' knee. He grinned at her and put his arm back around her shoulders.

Alex waited to grab the bar tender's attention. It was nearly midnight and the guy already looked like he needed a break. He pointed toward Alex as he took payment from a girl in a slinky red halter. Alex nodded slipping his hands into his jeans pocket.

A minute later the bar tender came back to him. "Sorry bro, what can I get ya?"

"It's cool, busy night?"

"Been this way for the past two weeks, ever since Keegan started coming in, people just wanna get a glimpse and say that they were here partying with her," he rolled his honey eyes.

Alex shook his head. "Man, she's just a person dude. People need more hobbies."

"Yeah, I mean it's cool for business," he gestured around at the large number of patrons, "but seriously. She doesn't walk on water."

Alex chuckled. "Can I get beer and a dry martini?"

"Yup, nine bucks," he turned back to the bar as Alex dug his wallet out.

Drinks in hand he headed back to the booth. He walked slowly, trying not to slosh Lauren's martini all around as he navigated through the crowd. Cheers began to pour in from outside, blue light from the flashes of cameras lit up the doorway. The bouncer towered in front of the entrance like he was watching for trouble; he finally moved aside to let another huge man in the club. They clasped hands in greeting, then the second larger of the two stepped back and _she_ sauntered in flipping her dark red hair back and blowing a kiss over her shoulder to the frenzied crowd outside.

The tight strapless black dress clung to her every curve as she sashayed into the club. The red silken ribbon tied around the lower portion of her chest rose with each breath, and dared everyone else to look at any other part of her body except the creamy mounds of her breasts that had been dusted with glitter for good measure. Her scarlet tresses were curled gently, hanging loosely around her shoulders. Even her bright jade eyes seemed to pop through the darkness and the surrounding throng of bodies. As she walked through the crowd the layered hem of her dress ruffled around her knees showing off the matching red ribbon stitched along it. And all the eyes in the building watched Keegan Malloy head to the VIP area of Addiction.

She brushed past Alex, catching his eyes momentarily. She smirked at him and without the slightest hesitation or missing a beat continued to her designated section.

"Dude, she walked right passed you," Jamar nearly jumped out of his seat.

"Yeah, she didn't even say excuse me," Alex grumbled placing Lauren's drink in front of her.

"She doesn't need to," the young man from New Jersey continued.

"Yeah, Jay's right. She's like royalty dude," Jeremy interjected. "No, better than royalty, she's Keegan Malloy."

"Big fucking deal," Alex rolled his mocha colored eyes and took a long swallow off his beer.

"Did you talk to her man?" Chris even detached himself from Jamie to ask.

"No. What's the big thing? We hang out 'celebrities' all the time. Jesus Christ, Reso was in a movie like two months ago."

"Are you seriously comparing Keegan Malloy to Jason Reso?" Christy's eyes widened. "I even want do her. She's smokin' man."

"I don't see what all the hype is about. Yeah, she's pretty, but can she hold a conversation? Maybe I'm old fashion but I do like the art of dialogue."

"Of course she's smart, haven't you seen one of her interviews before?" Jeremy asked.

"Yeah, she went NYU," Jamar added.

"Her daddy probably got her in. Why are sitting here like a bunch of obsessed fans, can we please find something else to talk about?" Alex implored.

"When the hell was Reso in a movie?" Lauren wondered.

The other occupants at the table laughed.

"He was written out on an injury like four months ago to go up to Canada and shoot some horror movie," Jamie informed.

"Really, why didn't I ever hear about it?"

"It was only released in Canada."

"Figures, eh?" Chris threw in.

"We don't really talk like that," Lauren replied. "Jeremy, back me up here."

"I don't know what you're talking aboot?" He smirked.

Everyone laughed again, even Alex. "If only Petey were here, he'd sing 'Oh Canada' for us."

"Thank god he stopped doing that. I used to laugh so hard I almost pissed myself every time," Chris said.

Suddenly, Christy grabbed Jamar's hand, and dragged him out of his seat. "Let's go Jay, you promised me a dance."

"Yes ma'am."

"That sounds like a good idea," Jamie smiled at Chris. "Wanna?"

"After you," he quickly agreed.

Lauren glanced over at Alex and couldn't help but to sigh.

"Well Lore, seems like us Canadians gotta stick together. Shall we?" Jeremy held out his hand.

She bit her lip gently before allowing him to help her up.

"Alex?" she questioned hesitantly.

"Go on. I'm fine. Just gonna finish my beer," he raised the bottle in a salute.

The two blondes then left him and joined the other couples out on the dance floor.

Alex sighed. "I shoulda just stayed home. This is stupid."

As he swigged back the rest of his beer, he caught sight of the huge body guard Keegan Malloy had walked in with. The man took a drink from the bar tender and headed back to VIP section. Alex got up and hurried to the bar. He watched the guy slip behind a heavy velvet curtain near the back of the club.

"You ready for a refill bro?" the bar tender dragged his attention away from the drapes.

"Huh, oh, yeah. I could use one."

A minute later Alex was handing him more money and taking an appreciated sip from his second beer. He glanced back to the table, not surprised to find it still empty; he decided he might as well use the bathroom.

The door squeaked when he opened it, but the fluorescent lit room looked clean enough. He set his beer on the ledge by the mirror and leaned against the sinks. His little moment of quiet was ruined when two guys burst through the door slamming it against the peach colored tiles. Alex grimaced.

"Dude, can you believe she's here?" A sandy blonde clapped his buddy's shoulder.

"We gotta get back there to meet her bro," the other black haired boy replied.

"Totally, she's gotta come out sometime right."

"And when she does," he nodded and they exchanged high fives.

"Dude, check this shit out, it's Alex Shelley." The blonde pointed.

Alex's head shot up and he mentally cursed his luck.

"Whoa, it is you," the one with black hair approached. "Dude, we just watched the show. You were awesome; I can't believe Creed and Lethal beat you guys."

"Yeah, that was bogus man," his friend agreed.

Alex took a breath, but swallowed what he was going to say. He nodded taking a moment to regroup.

"I know right. Little bastards got lucky, what can I say?"

"Dude, like the Guns and Jay Lethal used to be boys though. What happened?" the blonde asked.

"Ah, we're still cool. Just some friendly competition, but Creed, he's just like a punk man. Whatever," Alex rolled his eyes feeling himself slip into his cocky in ring persona.

Just then, that huge body guard came in. He glanced around, nodded, and then proceeded to use the bathroom for its actual purpose. While the two fans gawked at the newcomer, Alex grabbed his beer and escaped. He threw back the rest of his drink then went up to the bar for another, he took his third back to the table with him.

He was busy peeling the label off his bottle when Jeremy slid in beside him. Alex didn't even look up at his friend.

"Dude, you alright?" the young blonde inquired.

"Peachy," he sighed. "Where's everyone else?"

"Well Jay's scoring numbers, you know how he is," Jeremy smirked. "The girls went to the bathroom, why do chicks go in groups man? And Chris is hitting up the bar."

Alex nodded balling the little pieces of paper up in his fingers and flicking them across the table. A second later another beer slid to a stop in front of him. He glanced up at Chris as he took a sip from his own beverage.

"You aren't even trying dude," Chris accused.

"What do you want me do man, I told you I didn't wanna come," Alex retorted.

"Get the fuck up and dance or something. There are all kinds of pretty girls here, pick one."

Alex rolled his eyes. "That's like asking me to pick which STD I want."

Chris growled aggravated. "Lauren's here. Dance with her."

"I already told her I'm not a good dancer."

"Who cares? You don't gotta be Michael Jackson, just have fun with it."

"No, we're only friends," Alex tried to explain.

"No one said you had to pick out a china pattern," Chris argued.

Alex shook his head, but tuned out Chris' attempts to force him into having fun. He was perfectly happy playing world cup with the pieces of his label. He could even set up a goal with his empty bottle and Lauren's empty glass. Just as he was about to take his next shot, something at the bar caught his eye. She was pretty hard to miss.

Keegan Malloy stood at the bar ordering a drink. Alex knew if he looked hard enough he'd spot her body guard off in the shadows. He watched her turn and lean against the bar. She sipped a dark liquid through one of those tiny bar straws, and took the opportunity to scan the crowd as they had done her when she came in. Her mischievous cat like eyes seemed to settle on Alex and he actually looked behind him to see what she could possibly be looking at. He whipped his head back around and saw her small shoulders shake in a soft laugh. With a shrug, Keegan pushed herself back through the crowd toward her special section.

Alex got up, interrupting whatever conversation Chris and Jeremy were having and hurried toward the bar. He glanced back at that heavy curtain, but Keegan was gone. Another very large man was standing vigil at the entrance. His gaze seemed to almost dare Alex to try to approach. He sighed, cursing himself, before looking around the crowd. Everyone had made it back to the booth by now and he started to venture over. A pleasant warmth was spreading over his body letting him know that the alcohol he'd consumed was beginning to affect him. He made it to the booth and slid in ungracefully to sit beside Lauren.

"Hey there baby bear," she smiled and he noticed the two shot glasses sitting in front of her. "Just where have you been?"

"Here and there," he smirked. "Apparently I missed the party. You did shots without me."

She giggled a bit. "Me and the boys did 'em. Jame and Chris are being pussies."

"Someone's gotta keep you drunks in line," Jamie replied.

"Chris has been nursing the same beer for like an hour and she's fucking sober still," Christy told Alex.

"Sounds about right," he nodded.

"I don't recall you getting in on the vodka Red," Chris reminded.

"I'm good right where I am thank you," she raised her fruity pink drink to her lips.

"So, has anyone seen her again?" Jamar asked slurring just a bit. "She usually comes out to dance and stuff."

"Subtitles somebody," Alex requested.

"He means Keegan," Jeremy informed.

Alex subconsciously glanced at the bar, but wasn't surprised when she wasn't there.

"I thought I saw her up at the bar a little while ago," Jamie supplied.

"Man, I've been scoping that out, and I haven't seen her," Jamar whined.

"Aww Jay, you've got like a mega crush," Christy smiled.

He just shook his head and sipped his beer.

"Oh, hey, listen," Christy quirked her head to the side. "I love this song. C'mon Jay."

He let the feisty red head pull him from his seat again just as happy as before. Chris leaned down, whispering in Jamie's ear, and then they followed after their friends. Jeremy simply held his hand out and Lauren promptly took it. Alex watched, once again alone. He let his arms rest on top of the wrap around seat as he looked out over the crowd. The swirling lights above the dance floor made him squint, and he closed his eyes for a minute.

"So, are you gonna buy me a drink or what?" A velvety voice kissed his ears.

His eyes snapped open and his jaw hit the table. Keegan Malloy was standing right in front of him.


	3. Chapter 3

~All wrestlers are owned by tna, everyone else is mine. Thanks to everyone who has read this and everyone who has taken the time to review it, as well as my other stories. Please continue to let me know what you think. Hope you like this chapter~

~Chapter 3~

Keegan's head tilted to the side and she squinted just slightly. "You do hear me right? You're going to buy me a drink now."

Alex quirked an eyebrow. "Really? When did I agree to that?"

Keegan matched his incredulous expression, her own perfectly arched brow rising. "As soon as I walked in the door."

"Hmm, I don't remember you asking me," he shook his head.

She smirked seductively, "I don't have to ask."

"I'm Alex," he held his hand out.

She stared at him, but made no move to shake his hand. He shrugged slightly and dropped his arm.

"And you would be?" He prompted.

"You know who I am Alex," her eyes glinted in the colored strobe lights.

"Maybe I don't, what's so special about you?" He finally challenged.

She chuckled to herself, simply tucking some of her scarlet hair behind her ear showing off a beautiful diamond star dangling there.

"And even if I did, it's customary to introduce yourself before you go asking for drinks to be bought."

"Why should I tell you something you already know? It's pointless really. And if you didn't know who I was you never would've agreed to buy me anything."

She spun on her heel, her skirt billowing out around her and swayed her hips all the way to the bar. Alex scrambled out of his seat, hurrying after her. The bar tender quickly left his customer to comply with Keegan's request.

"Yes Miss Malloy," he inquired.

Before she could answer she felt Alex slide up beside her. She smiled slightly at him then turned her piercing gaze to the gentleman behind the bar.

"Two rounds of Cuervo, no salt, two limes."

Alex's eyes widened. The bar back nodded and lined up four shot glasses before turning to get the liquor.

"How much?" Keegan asked.

"No charge Miss," he poured the fiery liquid into the glasses.

"Alex is buying me a drink. How much?" She repeated.

"Oh, um… twenty-two even," he looked at Alex and the young brunette saw a mix of disbelief and even jealousy flash through those honey colored eyes.

He placed two lime wedges on a napkin in front of the shots and accepted the payment form Alex. Keegan took a drink in her small hand, and Alex noticed her nails were painted almost the same color as her hair. She raised her glass and cocked her brow again, seemingly waiting for him to pick up his own shot. He took up the challenge and the glass nearest to him.

"Cheers," Keegan tilted her drink slightly then threw it back.

Alex quickly followed her lead; downing his while she sucked on one of the lime wedges. He grimaced as he felt it burn all the way down and quickly reached for the other piece of lime. Keegan smiled rather amused by his reaction. He needed a deep breath before he could speak and even then his face still held a bit of a contortion.

"Damn."

She out right giggled then. "You ok?"

He nodded and took up the other shot glass. "Dance with me," he didn't leave her the chance to turn him down.

"Hmm, apparently tequila makes you rather brave Alex," she grabbed the last glass.

"You don't seem to have any problems with it either."

"Jose and I are good friends," she smiled and downed it.

Alex hurried to match her pace, but once again faltered. He shook his head and reached blindly for the lime. But before his hand found it on the bar, he tasted lime on his lips. He opened his eyes staring into very beautiful pools of jade while she held the fruit chaser to his mouth.

"Better?" Her voice was that same velvet texture as before and he could only nod. It wasn't the tequila that left him breathless this time.

Suddenly songs switched and Keegan seemed to remember his request. She left the remains of the drinks on the bar, pulling Alex behind her. He didn't even glance at the booth, but he could feel eyes on him staring gaping holes through both of them while they began to move to the heavy bass line thumping around the club. Keegan easily pressed against him sliding an arm up around his neck. He shot his arm around her tiny waist quickly finding a rhythm with her.

"Is that-" Jamar began.

"Uh-huh," Jeremy interrupted him.

"Bastard," the younger one growled.

Chris had a shocked but genuine smile on his face.

"Probably should've seen this coming," Christy concluded.

Everybody snapped their heads around to stare at her.

"What? Like they don't look perfect together," she rolled her baby blues and sipped her drink.

Lauren sighed and let her chin fall on her fist.

A tremor ran through Alex when Keegan pulled away enough to look at him properly. She took in his strong jaw line; with its shadow of light facial hair, a pale pink pout that was busy curving at the corners, his warm chocolate toned eyes, his dark brown hair cropped short in a slight faux hawk. She went back to his eyes. They were inviting, beckoning others in, but somehow she was sure they could easily change and shield the emotions that might swirl through them.

"You've never been here before," she pointed out. "Why'd you come tonight?"

"My friends wanted to come and I got dragged along. They say I don't go out enough," he replied honestly.

"Are they right?"

Alex sighed, "Maybe. I don't know. How do you know really, I mean what's enough?"

Keegan laughed a little. "Well, when's the last time you went out with anyone?"

"Um… define out."

"Oh god. Guess that's answer my question."

"Really and when's the last time you were out with anyone?"

"A lady never kisses and tells," she smiled.

"But apparently a lady will get drunk enough to pass out and need to be carried out of a club by her body guard though."

Keegan stiffened and ripped away from him. She glared, her dainty jaw setting in a hard line.

"And apparently it never fails that all men are assholes."

She turned away and marched back toward the VIP section.

"Wait," Alex grasped for her hand, but she shook him off.

He jogged after her, falling in time with the quick click of her Prada heels.

"You can't say it isn't true. I mean almost every picture they have of you shows that."

Keegan refused to answer him; she refused to look at him.

"And I believe you were the one that said you and Jose were good friends. C'mon, I'm just saying what you already know."

She finally turned to face him when they were just outside the velvet drapes of the VIP room. Her expression was still harsh, her jade eyes dark. She crossed her arms over her chest making the strain harder on the dress to contain her curves.

"What business of it is yours? I like to go out yes. I'm 22, I'm allowed. Who the hell do you think you are?" She demanded.

"You know who I am," he smirked a little.

Her eyes narrowed even more and she pursed her lips, "Would you kindly go die now. You've bored me and we're done here."

She dismissed him with a flip of her hair and turned her back on him. He caught her by the wrist instantly feeling her go rigid. She all but snarled at him demanding him to let he go. The huge body guard flew from his post by the curtain, shoving Alex back and pulling Keegan behind him before the young wrestler even knew what was happening.

"There problem here Miss Malloy?" He was glaring daggers at Alex.

"It's fine Emmett. He was just leaving," Keegan replied slipping behind the curtain.

"Keegan," Alex called, but she ignored him again.

He tried to go after her, but a meaningful shift of Emmett's weight told him not to.

"Alright, alright," he held his hands up in defeat, "I'm going."

Alex threw a glance back as he made his way to the booth. Emmett had taken his place again looking even more menacing than before. Shaking his head Alex slid into his place beside Lauren.

"Dude," Chris beamed. "Keegan Malloy was like all over you."

"Yeah," he sulked.

"What happened bro? She left in a hurry."

"She didn't like what I had to say," he simply shrugged.

Everyone looked surprised, Jamar nearly dropped his beer.

"What did you say to her?" He exclaimed.

"Just the truth that she parties a little too much."

"You told Keegan Malloy that she parties too much?" He repeated.

"Well not in so many words, but," Alex shrugged it off.

"You're crazy. Man she was like into you, why'd you piss her off?" Chris inquired.

Alex took a deep breath seemingly wondering that himself. "She was just too… arrogant isn't the right word, but just… maybe too sure of herself. I don't know. It's obvious no one has ever told her that and I felt that she needed to hear it."

All three guys just shook their heads feeling the loss. The girls rolled their eyes each giving a small sigh. Eventually, Jeremy was sent up to buy the next round, and the night out continued. The others kept leaving to dance to certain songs, but Alex remained where he was. He was content with his current state and hardly touched his beer. He went back to peeling the label off the bottle as he kept a watchful eye on the bar.

It wasn't until Jamar's turn to buy the next round came up that Alex noticed the bar tender pointing a guy toward the VIP section. He squinted in the dim light trying to take in his appearance; dark jeans, a tight black shirt with the sleeves rolled up and cuffed around his forearms, it was left unbuttoned at the top. He had his dark bronze hair tousled in a fashionable mess, some of his bangs falling across his hazel eyes. Alex watched him take a drink back into the designated section and instantly felt something a tad more than curiosity bite him.

"I got this one," he popped out of his seat and went up to the bar.

Jamar shrugged and sat back down next to Christy.

Alex waited at the end of the bar sneaking glances at the guy as he conversed with Emmett. The huge man let him through the curtain, but Alex swore he saw the body guard sigh disapprovingly. A squeal rippled out of the room and he distinctly heard Keegan praise god for this mans arrival.

"Hmm," he wondered if it was possible to get closer without Emmett breaking him in half. He doubted it.

The bar back finally asked what Alex wanted and he ordered his friends' drinks.

"Where's yours bro?" Chris questioned when Alex placed only five drinks on the table.

"I'm good. Still got some left," he replied looking back over his shoulder.

"Dude, you totally blew it. I can't believe you said that shit to Keegan Malloy," the blonde shook his head while he sipped his third beer of the evening.

Alex shrugged, "it's not untrue. You said she was ready for rehab."

"Well, yeah but you don't just say that to someone. Especially if they're totally hot and a movie star."

Alex rolled his eyes. Suddenly he caught the sound of a laugh that reminded him of bells tinkling. He turned sharply just in time to see Keegan and that guy twirl around the center of the dance floor that had cleared to give them room. She had her arms looped around his neck head thrown back in pure joy, oblivious to the others in the crowded club. He was grinning like the Cheshire cat as he kept a hold on her. Alex knew if they weren't careful he'd drop her. The mellow mid tempo song spiked into another speaker pounding anthem and he yanked her roughly back into him. With a whisper that made another grin spread over her pretty features they began to grind to the heavy industrial beat.

"Dude, she's back." Jamar pointed out happily. "Who's she with?" His light tone dropped.

"I don't recognize him," Christy replied. "Kinda cute though."

Alex's scowl went unnoticed as the group continued to watch the seedy dance unfold. He cringed when the guy grabbed a handful of her ass tugging her skirt up to flash her creamy thigh to everyone. She yanked him down by his popped collar and actually licked the column of his neck. He quickly spun her around and she pushed her ass back against him.

Alex wanted to look away, he wasn't sure if he should feel humiliated for her or disgusted by their show.

"My my," Jamie spoke up, "looks like they know each other well enough."

"I know I said she was hot but Jesus I don't wanna watch them do it like they're on the discovery channel," Christy even looked down at the table.

Alex was still trained on them, unable to look at anything else. Mercifully, the song ended and the guy pulled Keegan to the bar. Alex noticed her stumble slightly and she laughed with her friend. He slipped his arm around her, but they both were unsteady as they made their way to the bar.

"So, he's obviously getting some tonight," Lauren commented. "She's like trashed."

"You aren't that far behind," Alex snapped following the pair.

Lauren sneered, hurling a curse at his back.

Keegan was leaning on the bar, her chest heaving, almost spilling out on the lacquered surface.

"Two shots of Johnnie Walker Gold." His voice had a slight accent; Alex guessed British but couldn't be certain.

"And two Curevo," Keegan added.

The bar tender lined up the glasses.

"When do I get the other one?" Keegan nearly purred leaning against her friend.

He chuckled. "You just took the first one; you know you have to wait."

"But I want it now," she pouted.

"Do your shots first. They'll hit you harder."

"No shit. I still want the other one."

"What about later when you start to crash? You're going to need it then to pick you up."

"You'll just give me another one," she smiled leaning over giving a nice view of her curves.

He laughed again. "You know those things don't work on me. Put the girls away my dear."

"Merrick!" She actually stomped her foot.

"Okay, okay. Wait until we're back in the VIP and I'll give you the other one," he placated.

Keegan smirked triumphantly and snatched the first shot glass off the bar, some of the tequila sloshing down the side.

"Careful. Don't get sloppy, it's unattractive," Merrick chastised.

"Figured you'd be used to sloppy seconds by now," she retorted.

"Bitch," he picked up his own glass bringing it neatly to his lips.

"Fuck you," she tossed back casually as they both threw back the drinks.

They both went straight for their second glasses, slamming them back down when they were empty.

Alex was about to approach them, but something caught Merrick's eye and he leaned down to whisper to her then hurried to the other end of the bar. She sighed annoyed, and turned to scan the crowd on the dance floor. She spotted Alex and immediately she frowned and turned back to the bar.

"You do realize that you're just proving me right don't you?" Alex asked coming to stand beside her.

Keegan glowered at him but refused to answer.

"Who's your friend?"

She smirked. "I'd tell you not to be jealous but that's like telling you not to breathe. It's just natural."

Alex smiled too. He couldn't help it. As much as she incensed him, she fascinated him that much more.

"You're smiling," she noted. "You have a nice smile."

"Did Keegan Malloy just hand out a compliment?" his shock was rather genuine.

"I complimented you when I said you could buy me a drink."

Alex snapped his fingers. "Too good to be true."

Keegan smiled this time. "Alex what?"

"Sorry?"

"What's your last name?" She clarified.

"Shelley."

"Alex Shelley." She tried it out. "I like it. What do you do Alex Shelley?"

"If I remember correctly, you wanted me to die just a little while ago, change of heart?"

"Don't flatter yourself," she scoffed. "Just trying the introduction you wanted."

He shook his head. "I wanted you to introduce yourself."

"Keegan Ash Malloy," she held her hand out.

"Alexander Patrick Shelley," he reciprocated.

She giggled. "A-P-S. Oh if only your parents would've went with Steven. Then the initials would've fit."

He smirked. "I'll thank them for that. Guess they just weren't real big scrabble players there Kam."

"Kam?" she wrinkled her brows.

"You're not the only one who can spell. What's wrong with Kam?"

"Nothing," she smiled, but it was different then the ones he'd seen before. This smile seemed to fit her like a comfortable old sweater just pulled out of a bottom drawer.

He reached up and tucked a lock of ruby red hair behind her ear, shocking them both. He pulled it back abruptly, letting it float between them for a second. Her eyes seemed to sparkle softly for that moment, something akin to pixie dust.

"You ready, baby doll?" Merrick wrapped his arms around her from behind, raising an eyebrow at Alex.

"For what?" Keegan leaned her head back on his chest.

"Who's your friend love?" He asked tersely.

"This is Alex. Alex, this is Merrick." When she looked at him this time, her jade green eyes were glassy. A screen had suddenly come over them.

"Hello." Alex answered flatly.

"Keeping her company were you?" Merrick's narrowed eyes had that same glassy quality.

"Something like that," the brunette retorted.

"Well," Merrick suddenly smiled reminding Alex of a snake. "I'll take her from here. Come along my dear." He began steering her toward the VIP curtain.

"Oh... Wait. Alex is coming," she whipped around nearly tripping.

Merrick caught her ungracefully. "No. That's not a good idea."

"But I want him," she attempted to right herself pulling out of his awkward embrace. She stumbled just slightly toward Alex. He graciously met her half way.

"Won't you come back with us? I'll introduce you to everybody. It'll be fun." Her smile wasn't exactly the same as the last one he'd seen, but there was something there that hadn't been when they started this evening.

"You're asking me this time," he chuckled.

"Just to be polite. I know what you're going to say," her voice was once again draped in velvet.

Alex shook his head. "Of course you do, so what's the point in asking?"

Keegan wrapped her slim fingers tightly around his wrist and pulled him through the VIP curtain.


	4. Chapter 4

~Happy Turkey Day everyone! As usual, I only own the non wrestlers. I put Alex on my Christmas list though so hopefully he'll be under my tree. Hehe. A girl can dream. Anyway, please review, they tend to make day :) enjoy~

~Chapter 4~

The room was smaller than he anticipated. It wasn't as harshly lit as the rest of the club. It had an intimate glow about it, with two plush white couches facing each other in the middle of the room. A small section of the carpet had large fluffy pastel pillows scattered around inviting the patrons to sit down in a more private corner. Three new people waited in the room. On one couch sat a young woman with dark brown hair and striking sapphire eyes, Alex was sure he'd seen her somewhere before. Her short black pleated mini skirt left little to the imagination and the accompanying glittery blue tank top seemed a little too risqué even in the Orlando heat. Beside her an attractive boy was sprawled out, his dark hair had stripes of purple through it; he had the same distinct blue eyes as the girl. He was wearing skinny jeans and his white v-neck t-shirt rode up enough to clearly show a matching studded belt that wrapped around his small waist one and a half times. There was another young woman on the other couch. She had blonde hair cut in sensible layers framing her heart shaped face; pieces of her bangs fell across her warm brown eyes. She was dressed conservatively in a pair of black slacks and a soft pink scoop neck long sleeved shirt. She looked up when Alex followed Keegan in; she seemed surprised, if not a little leery. The pair on the other couch was obviously unimpressed with the whole situation, the girl was busy inspecting her manicured nails and the boy was engrossed with the gold stripes painted onto the maroon walls.

"This is Alex Shelley," Keegan grinned standing between the couches, "Alex these are the twins Sage and Poe Whitlock, otherwise known as Gemini."

"You have that song out. It's on the soundtrack to her movie," Alex instantly recognized the band name and mentally thanked Chris for buying that damn CD.

Sage smiled impertinently. "Yes, that song. So glad you like it."

"Yeah." Alex's eyes narrowed at her tone. "It's pretty catchy."

Poe squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. It took him a second to focus on Alex. He cocked his head like a cat, but said nothing.

"And this is my assistant Britt," Keegan continued.

If the twins were acting strangely she didn't acknowledge it. Alex nodded at the girl on the second couch.

"It's nice to meet you Alex," Britt smiled. "My nephew loves you. The Motor City Machine Guns are his favorite tag team."

The young wrestler's smile gave away his surprise. "Thanks," he finally got out.

"I bought him your action figures for his birthday last month," she informed.

"Ah cool. Did he like them?"

"Loves them, he plays with them in the bath tub all the time."

Alex laughed loudly. "Well, I can't wait to tell Chris that we're taking baths together now."

Britt chuckled at his comment. "Do you think he'll mind that Aiden likes to play with you more?"

"Nah, he knows I'm way cooler. This just totally proves it," Alex smiled.

"What are you, a super hero or something?" Keegan fell on the couch beside her assistant. "I don't even have a doll yet."

"It's not a doll okay. It's an action figure," he was quick to amend.

"Same thing."

"Hardly. GI Joe wasn't a doll."

Keegan rolled her eyes. "You didn't answer my question."

"He's a wrestler with TNA," Britt supplied.

Keegan stared hard at the blonde girl for a second, and then turned her clouded eyes to Alex.

"A wrestler? Like Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior?"

"Yeah," again Alex hesitated in surprise. "You know who they are?"

"Of Course. I had a Hulk Hogan pillow," she replied as if they all should've known that.

Alex laughed and ran his hand through his short hair, "Who woulda thought?"

Keegan smiled proudly. Suddenly Merrick called to her from the other couch where he sat in between the twins. She pranced over, settling on the floor at his feet. Britt sighed and deliberately looked away when Merrick pulled a small baggie from his pocket. Alex watched with mortified fascination as Merrick placed a small white pill in three waiting hands. Poe swallowed his dry immediately; Sage took hers with the aid of her drink and then passed the Collins glass to Keegan who finished off whatever was in it. Merrick caught Alex's gaze and smirked slightly before he took one of the pills himself. Alex felt a shudder go through him and he sat down beside Britt.

"What were they?" he whispered.

Britt wrapped her arms around herself before glancing over at the other couch biting her bottom lip. "Those were Oxys."

"Oxycotin?" Alex inquired.

"Shh!!!" Britt hissed at him.

Merrick looked at them like he was casting a spell for their impending doom.

"They shouldn't be drinking if they're taking those," Alex shook his head. He'd seen enough past and present colleagues abuse medication to know nothing good ever came out of mixing alcohol and narcotics.

"She shouldn't be taking them period," Britt insisted. "She's mixes too much stuff with her own medicine."

"Her own medicine?" Alex wondered.

"She-"

"Britt," Merrick barked. "Go get another round of tequila."

"See if they have any Smirinoff," Sage added. "I hate tequila."

"Get the stuff with the gold in it." Poe said resting his head back on the couch.

"Don't you guys think you've had enough?" Britt asked meekly.

"Keegs," Merrick shook her shoulder. The girl had slumped in his lap, her head resting on his knee. "Tell Britt to do her damn job."

Keegan raked her hand through her hair. "What?"

"I told you to wait," he rolled his hazel eyes. "You need to do a shot love. Wake yourself back up."

"Mmm," she laid her head back down. "Britt, Curevo," she mumbled.

With a heavy sigh the young blonde got up to comply with the request. Alex followed her, he had a feeling she was usually outnumbered. They went to the bar and ordered a bottle of Goldschlager and took the bottle of tequila that was a little less than half full.

"So, is this an every night thing?" Alex asked on the way back to the VIP.

"Merrick's an everyday occurance. The twins come around once in a while when they need to be seen or when their personal dealers fall through," Britt explained unable to conceal her contempt.

Alex nodded, but remained quiet. He simply digested the information. Emmett placed a comforting hand on Britt's shoulder as they went back through the curtain. Keegan was laying across the pillows in the corner. Merrick and the twins remained on the couch talking quietly amongst themselves.

Sage frowned at the liquor Britt placed on the stand beside the couch. "No Smirnoff?"

"Don't be stupid," Poe reached across her and took up the Goldschlager. "This is better than Smirnoff."

Alex knew the twins couldn't be 21 yet, but that didn't stop them. Poe unscrewed the cap and sipped from the bottle. Sage rolled her cold blue eyes but accepted the bottle from her brother. Merrick went for the tequila.

"Keegs," Sage seemed to remember. She snatched the bottle of Cuervo from Merrick and went over to the young actress. "Keegs," she said sweetly. "Drink this love. C'mon."

"Can we go dance?" Keegan asked innocently. "I'm sooo bored."

"Do a shot with me and we'll go dance," Sage smiled.

Keegan sat up crossing her legs under her dress. She grabbed the neck of the bottle and swallowed. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she held the bottle out to Sage, but thought better of it. She rose unsteadily to her feet and wobbled over to Alex. She tripped on the shoes she had kicked off before laying down. She fell into Alex giggling. He let her lean into him, burrying her face in his chest.

"Oops," she smirked. She righted herself, but kept an arm around his neck. She held the bottle out to him.

"I'm good." He shook his head, and tightened the hold around her waist.

She pouted instantly. "Just one… for me?"

"It's getting kinda late," he replied.

"So," she smiled. "Come dance with me."

"Are you sure you can dance?" Alex retorted.

Keegan began to switch her hips to her own beat pressing closer to Alex. "I can do a whole lot more than just dancing," she winked.

"We'll see," he took the tequila, putting both arms back around her waist, and handed the bottle off to Britt. "Let's go."

Keegan smiled as he led her back out to the dance floor. She pulled him to the middle of the crowd and alothough it was smaller now, it still parted for her. She linked her arms around his neck again and they began to move.

"Don't be an asshole this time," she warned.

"Don't be so stuck up this time," he rejoinded.

She glared playfully, and twirled to press her back into him. Her hand tangled in the short curls at the nape of his neck and she pulled his head down to hers. Alex was quick to shake her off before she could connect their lips and spun her back around.

"Not like this," he declined.

They'd stopped dancing. "Like what?" Keegan asked indignantly.

"It's just not the best time now," he hoped his smile looked genuine.

Apparently he was not that good of an actor.

"Why?" she demnaded starting to pull out of his arms.

"Well," he took a deep breath, "I want you to remember it in the morning."

"Who says I won't? Who says you wouldn't be there to remind me?" Even though she was beginnging to slur her words, somehow her voice was like velvet again.

"I do." Alex let go of her entirely.

It took her a moment to grasp this, but when she did anger immediately took over. Despite her shoving him back into another dancer, Alex swore he saw a twinge of pain flit through her eyes.

"Fuck you," she spat spinning away from him.

Alex watched Keegan Malloy walk away from him for the second time that night. His brain appluaded this, he knew letting her go was for the best. But everything else inside of him screamed this was wrong. His arms ached to be back around her waist. He was about to go after her, but a hand fell on his shoulder.

"Hey," Chris leaned in to be heard over the music, "we're gonna head out. It's late and Jamie's ready to leave."

"Alright, I'll catch you tomorrow." Alex replied scanning the crowd for Keegan.

"You aren't coming with us?" Chris aksed.

"Nah. You guys go. I'm gonna stick around for a little bit. Don't worry I'll get a cab."

"You sure?"

"Yeah," Alex spotted her dancing in between a sandy blonde and a dark haired guy. Their hands were roaming dangerously over her body. "Don't worry about it." He hurried toward them.

"Call me when you get in," Chris yelled after him. Alex didn't even acknowledge that he'd heard him.

"Mind if I cut in?" he asked grabbing Keegan's wrist and pulling her closer to him.

The boys' scowled, proving they did indeed mind.

"Dude, back up. We saw her first," the black haired one puffed his chest out.

Alex barely resisted rolling his eyes, this was not how he's seen his night going.

"Yeah man, she came up to us." The sandy blonde added. "Why don't you just wait your turn bro."

"Well, sorry to disappoint you, but as you can see she's had a long night." Keegan's head had dipped to rest on Alex's shoulder.

"We can take care of her," the darker boy reached for her.

Alex growled, yanking her back out of his reach. "You got to dance with her, I'm sure you got enough pictures for your myspace, so back off."

The bolder of the two guys squared his shoulers and snatched Keegan's arm. He pulled her hard enough to make her cry out and snap her head up.

"What the fuck?" She looked between the two men holding her. She glared at Alex and drew away from him. "Leave me alone. I wanna dance."

"It's time to go," he replied through clenched teeth.

Keegan arched her eyebrow, "I'll leave when I want. You've made it perfectly obvious you don't want to leave with me, so fuck off. You're ruining my night."

"You heard her bro, she wants to dance," the dark haired boy smirked as Keegan slunk an arm up around his neck.

The sandy blonde looked between them and Alex. He seemed to believe the daggers that Alex was glaring, he tried to appeal to his frined.

"C'mon man, it's late. We should just go."

He waved the blonde off, sliding his hand further down Keegan's back, cupping the globe of her ass. She looked up at him through half lidded eyes and pressed harder against him. But when he lowered his head to kiss her, she turned into a statue. She turned out of the unwanted affection shoving her suitor away.

"Hey," he wouldn't be so easily discouraged, his grip on her tightened.

She paled, the quietest of whimpers escaped her, but that was all Alex needed. He slammed his hand into the middle of the guy's chest, ramming him back. He stepped directly in front of Keegan, fists balled at his sides. The boy glared and looked like he was going to take up the challenge, but his eyes widened and he rushed to abandon the altercation. Alex smiled proudly, but when he turned around he spotted Emmett looming behind his charge.

"Party's over," he rumbled. He slipped one of Keegan's arms around his thick neck and began dragging her to the VIP area.

Alex fell in step beside them. Britt was on her phone pacing outside the velvet curtain, she looked relieved and annoyed when she moved out of the way, allowing Emmett to get the barely conscious actress in the small room. Gemini and Merrick were conspicuous by their absence and Alex couldn't help but to shake his head. Keegan curled up on the couch, drawing her knees nearly up to her chest. Emmett brushed a lock of her hair away from her face then turned hard eyes to the young wrestler.

"You can go now. I'm sure there's another party you can hit before dawn."

"Um… nah man this was enough believe me," he glanced at the helpless girl. "But I can go if I'm in the way."

"You should." Emmett retorted looking up as Britt came back in.

"We might as well ask for pillows and a blanket 'cause we're never getting out of here, those vultures are still waiting outside. They've got the back entrance staked out too."

Emmett sighed heavily, even allowing himself to roll his eyes. "What about sending the car away as a decoy?"

"We'd have to wait for another one to get here first, and if they don't see her get into the decoy they won't follow it," Britt began to rub her temples.

"This is crazy. No wonder she gets like this, you would too if whole damn world was stalking you. Jesus, remember the photographer that broke into her apartment a couple months ago?" Emmett crossed his arms over his chest.

"Remember it; I had to stay with her for weeks after that. That's why they upped her dose of Ativan," Britt shook her head. "They just can't leave her alone."

"She's on Ativan and you let her drink?" Alex demanded. "Not to mention the other shit? Do you know how dangerous that is?"

"What the fuck do you know about it boy?" Emmett pulled himself to his full height.

"Enough," Alex's jaw was set, but he knew not to press his luck with the huge man. "What about a cab?"

"Yeah, 'cause that won't be obvious," Britt snapped. "And either way we've still gotta parade her out in front of the paparazzi like this yet again."

"Not necessarily," Alex replied thoughtfully. "Does she have a coat, something with a hood?"

"No, it was too warm," Britt said.

"Emmett, go find a hoodie. I highly doubt anyone's gonna tell you no," Alex smiled.

"How's this gonna help?" The bodyguard asked gruffly.

"Britt is going to be the decoy. You're going to escort her out of here in the hoodie, get into your car and leave. I'll stay with Keegan, we'll catch a cab out the back entrance after everyone's seen you guys leave. Once you guys lose the paparazzi we'll meet you somewhere and you can take her from there."

"Absolutely not," Emmett answered adamantly.

"That's not a bad idea," Britt replied at the same time.

"What?" The big man turned on the tiny assistant. "You wanna just leave her with him unsupervised for god knows how long? No way, it's not happening."

"So what, you wanna carry her out in front of all of the photographers, humiliate her again. I'm running out of excuses to use at press conferences. She's losing fans and prospective work every time you carry her out of a club," Britt fired back.

"We don't even know him." Emmett glanced at Alex. "He could do anything to her once we leave. How do we know he won't lead her out there in front of the paparazzi anyway?"

Britt studied Alex for a minute, and he thought that she had been swayed by Emmett's logic, but again, the girl surprised him.

"I trust him. Besides, we don't have any other choice."

A sigh ripped out of Emmett, and he made sure Alex knew just how unhappy he was with the plan when he shouldered roughly by him to search for a hoodie.

"I promise I won't do anything to hurt her," the young brunette said after glancing over at Keegan. "We can meet wherever you want."

"You better take care of her, or so help me I will personally kick your ass myself. I don't care how many tag belts you've won or how many cool moves you know." The hint of teasing didn't lessen the threat by any means, and Alex knew that if anything happened to Keegan, she would take him out.

Emmett returned successfully a few minutes later. He had found a simple grey hoodie, and he tossed it at Britt. "I still don't like this."

"I know. But we really don't have any other options here Em. And I think we can trust him." She slipped the hoodie on; her fingers didn't quite make it out of the sleeves and it fell all the way down to the middle of her leg. She tugged the hood up to hide the obvious difference, making sure all of her blonde hair was underneath it.

"Sunglasses," Alex suddenly suggested.

Britt dug through a brown leather Coach bag and produced a large pair of sunglasses. She slipped the Marc Jacobs originals on and stood expectantly waiting for her critique.

"She has a dress on," Emmett pointed out. "You have pants on. Someone's bound to notice."

"Shit," Britt cursed looking down at herself.

"Okay, okay," Alex sighed. "Roll them up."

"That's not gonna work. She won't be able to keep them hidden on the way out," Emmett argued.

"Well, then she can take them off," he shrugged.

"Yeah, _she's _just gonna roll them up," Britt spoke for herself carefully folding her pant legs up under the hem of the jacket.

Alex and Emmett stared at her when she was finished. They look all kinds of skeptical.

"It doesn't look right. You're gonna have to take them off," Alex concluded.

"What! No way!"

"He's right Britt." Emmett agreed. "It's too bulky. Don't worry, I've carried her out in skirts so short you'd think she had nothing on, and they've never got a glimpse of anything."

"But…" Britt's head dropped. She heaved a sigh, "Turn around."

Both men glanced at each other, and then back at the young assistant. With a shrug they complied with her wish.

"Okay," they finally got the signal.

Britt looked extremely uncomfortable, she was trying to tug the hem of the jacket down more, and a blush had turned her almost the same shade as Keegan's hair.

"Much better," Emmett nodded.

"Yeah, easy for you to say."

"Okay, what's your phone number?" Alex asked his cell in hand.

"Right," Britt grabbed her blackberry.

They exchanged digits and then it was time to set the plan into motion. Emmett slid his arm securely around Britt's waist, holding her close to his body. She fidgeted pulling at the hem of the jacket again.

"You're fine B. Nothing's gonna show," Emmett assured.

"Give us at least twenty minutes and then get her out to the cab. We'll call you when we lose them," Britt explained.

Alex nodded. "Don't worry, I got this end."

"You better not mess this up. Anything happens to her…" Emmett didn't need to finish that thought.

"Don't forget to act a little drunk or else they won't take the bait," Alex reminded.

Britt took a deep breath then nodded. "Let's get this over with."

Emmett led her out the room and Alex heard the whistles and the cheers minutes later as the photographers tried to get their quarry's attention. He glanced to the couch, Keegan didn't even stir. Alex sat down on the opposite couch and waited for right time to head out the back exit.

"And to think I was going to stay home tonight," he quipped to himself.

Finally, he knew he had to get her outside. He crouched down and gently shook her shoulder.

"Hey, Kam. C'mon, time to wake up. We're gonna get you home."

"Mmm," she swatted his hand away. "Go 'way."

"We gotta go. There's a cab waiting out back," he tried again.

She slowly lifted her head up and took notice that it was just the two of them. She looked lost when she met his eyes next. They were clearer than before, which he was thankful for, but he knew this mission wasn't going to be as easy as he made it out to be.

"Where is everyone?" She asked, her voice sounded scratchy.

"Emmett took Britt out disguised as you so they paparazzi would follow them instead. There's a cab out back for us, we're going to meet them somewhere when they lose all the photographers."

She shook her head and sat up quickly. A little too quickly, she had to hold her head in place.

"No. Where's Merrick?"

"He left."

"What? Why? What did you say to him?"

"Me? Nothing. He wasn't here when we came back from dancing," Alex tried to explain.

"He wouldn't just leave me. I need him. He knows I need him. I need another one, I'm crashing," she mumbled as fast as the thoughts hit her. "Britt," she yelled.

"She's not here. I told you she left with Emmett to lead the photographers away."

"I need my phone. I gotta call Merrick."

"We need to get outside. If any stragglers see a cab just sitting out there, the jig us up," Alex grabbed for her hand.

She pulled away like he'd burnt her, pressing herself as far into the couch as she could.

"Whoa!" Alex caught her eye and stepped back. She looked terrified, like she didn't dare even blink.

"Okay," he purposefully composed his voice, trying to make it calm. "Merrick left a little bit ago; I think the twins went with him. Britt and Emmett left about twenty minutes ago so we need to go now."

"Where are we going?" she whispered.

"Britt's going to call me when the coast is clear with a place. It should be soon."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Alex let her have her moment, not real sure what else to do. She uncoiled and stood up easily.

"My shoes?" she seemed to remember.

"Uh…" Alex looked around the room but didn't find the heels. "To quote Dane Cook 'fuck shoes'"

Keegan smiled a little. She raked her hands through her hair and looked at Alex like she was ready to listen to him now.

"You okay?" He asked to be sure.

"I'm fine," she answered quietly. "Can we go now?"

He checked his phone's display clock. "Yeah, it should be here by now."

He held the drape back for her to go first. He followed her closely, but didn't try to touch her again. They made it through the kitchen and the back store room, exiting out into the alley. Keegan leaned on the course brick building as Alex jogged to the corner; he came back shaking his head.

"Not yet, but any minute," he informed.

She nodded closing her eyes again. Alex leaned against the building glancing diligently up to the corner, in between sneaking glances at the beautiful girl beside him. He watched her begin to shiver; the air had grown cooler; especially if you were wearing a strapless dress.

"Sorry. I don't have a jacket or anything," he offered a lopsided smile.

"Good. Too cliché," she answered wrapping her arms around herself.

"I swear the taxi's on its way."

"They're never on time."

Alex agreed. He debated moving closer to her, but decided against it. Instead he stared up to the road again.

"Why are you doing this?" She startled him.

"Huh!"

"Why did you agree this stupid idea?" Keegan asked.

"I came up with this stupid idea," he retorted. "And I don't know, just figured you'd like to save a bit of your dignity."

Keegan finally looked at him, and he was happy to find her eyes were their natural stunning jade green again.

"You're so fucking self righteous," she smiled.

"And you're trying so fucking hard to be a martyr," he shot back.

"Haven't you figured it out yet Alex, I don't have to try," she smirked.

A horn beeped at the corner and Keegan headed up to the waiting taxi. Alex had to chuckle to himself as he followed her; he'd walked right into that one.


	5. Chapter 5

~Once again I only own the non wrestlers. Double Vanity is a fictional title; any similarities to anything are a coincidence. I don't know anything about Alex's family, I'm not sure how many or if he even has siblings, but for my purposes he does. If anyone knows anything about his family or what not, I'd love to hear it. Anyway, I hope you all like this. Please review and let me know what you think!~

~Chapter 5~

The cab stopped at the decorative iron gate, Keegan leaned out the back window and punched in her security code. The gates with the carved fairies on top slowly swung open and the cabbie continued up to the small, but definitely affluent house. The stairs were made from cream colored marble with a peaked roof overhang jutting out as they led the way to the heavy oak door. Keegan got out of the taxi and tiredly dragged herself up those stairs. Alex gave the man his fare, plus a nice tip to help him forget the address.

He noticed the little glass candle holders sitting on the sides of each step illuminating the path had light bulbs in them. The porch itself extended the length of the whole front of the cottage; it even had a wooden swing off to the right. Keegan was sitting on it, resting her head on one of the sturdy beams. Alex shoved his hands in his pockets unsure of what to do next. He waited in front of her, but she seemed engrossed in the stretch of yard laid out to the side of them. He thought he heard a brook running near by.

"Britt should've known that they'd never be able to lose the photographers," Keegan finally said.

Alex shrugged, "I guess. We didn't have many other options though."

She sighed and then looked up at him; the pale moonlight was streaming down around him bathing him in a blue sheen. "Well, it's been quite the evening. I don't suppose you'd want a cup of tea?"

"Tea?" He wasn't sure he'd heard quite right.

"I owe you for bringing me home."

"And a cup of tea is your offering?"

"You didn't want what I was offering earlier," she reminded with the hint of a smirk.

"That's not entirely true," he pointed out.

She smiled and glanced back out to the yard. She got up with another sigh and headed inside. "Call Britt and tell them we made it, tell her to just go home."

Alex followed through with the request. Britt was more than relieved, but Emmett still objected to the young wrestler being there. The assistant thanked him for getting Keegan home saying she couldn't wait to get to her own apartment, if they could ever shake the paparazzi that was still following them. They terminated the call after a few minutes and Alex went inside, the door was still open beckoning him.

The living room was huge; obviously one of the house's previous owners had taken out the wall. It was a dark amber color, making it look almost like it was lit with candle light, but the crystal chandelier fixture hanging in the center of the ceiling told otherwise. The carpet was a rich wine color. Alex knew it was probably even softer than it looked and he wondered if Keegan allowed shoes on it. He left his Etnies on and ventured into the kitchen.

Keegan was standing facing the sleek black stainless steel range, her back toward the arched doorway connecting the kitchen to the living room. This floor was tiled in dark sage squares that matched the counter tops. The cabinets were all done in a warm red tone with gold facet handles. She didn't have a kitchen table, just an island in the middle of the room with three high backed antique looking chairs.

"Do you take cream or sugar?" she inquired without turning around.

"Um… no I guess not," Alex leaned against the island watching her get two mugs from one of the cabinets.

Suddenly, a huge gray fluff ball leapt up onto the island scaring Alex to death when it rubbed against his arm. Keegan smiled and immediately began stroking the cat from the top of its head down its curved spine. She scratched under its chin making it thunder with a purr.

"Hi baby," she kissed its nose. "Do you know you scared our friend?"

"Startled," Alex insisted petting the animal gently noticing that it had some tan and white splashed here and there through out its coat, primarily on its chest and paws.

"This is Salinger. Do you want some tea too baby boy," she kissed him again.

"He's cute. Is he all you've got?"

"Yeah. He's way too spoiled to have competition," she smiled going back to the kettle and the mugs. She poured the water and left them to steep for a few minutes. "He seems to like you though."

Alex scratched him behind his ear, "well apparently he's a good judge of character."

"All cats are. They own their people not the other way around."

"Hmm, it's kinda funny to think of Keegan Malloy being owned by anyone."

She narrowed her eyes slightly. "It's a matter of love in his case. Not many can offer the unconditional affection a cat can once you earn it. But they definitely make you work for it which is why not all people are cat people."

"Yeah, I'm definitely a dog person," Alex replied eyes glinting in amusement.

"Figured as much," Keegan shook her head and carefully placed an orange mug in front of Alex, steam curled up in between them.

He pursed his lips slightly, tugging on the string of his tea bag disinterestedly. Keegan retrieved a piece of lemon from the refrigerator that matched the stove décor, and a small bottle of honey from a cabinet and fixed her tea. She blew on it slightly then took a tentative but much appreciated first sip. Alex simply traced the rim of his mug absently with his finger.

"Do you want any," she gestured to the things she'd used.

"No, this is fine."

She quirked an eyebrow and then tipped her cup so Salinger could investigate it. Determining he wasn't interested he jumped down to the floor. He rubbed in between Keegan's ankles, meowing up at her then disappeared into another room. She giggled a bit and sipped her tea again, Alex still hadn't touched his.

"Look, if you wanna go you certainly can. I didn't mean you had to stay or anything," she said.

"I know." He nodded. "I'm just not real big on hot tea."

"Sorry. I don't like hot coffee. I only drink it over ice and with chocolate in it," she replied. "Besides, this helps me sleep."

"Am I keeping you up?" He asked instantly.

She shook her head. "Once everything wears off it takes me a while to get to sleep."

"You do know that it's dangerous to mix prescriptions like you do especially with alcohol," Alex informed.

"I know," she replied candidly. "That's why Britt doesn't like Merrick as I'm sure you've gathered."

"Then why-"

"Because."

Keegan grabbed her mug and went around to another exit out of the kitchen. Alex left his mug and followed her up the hardwood stairs. The upstairs hallways were the same warm color as the living room, but the carpet a now a midnight blue. The doors were mostly closed, but Alex did see that the bathroom was also in tones of blue. She was leading him to the last door at the end of the corridor. It was ajar, and a sliver of golden light slipped out of the crack. Pushing the door open fully she flipped a switch by the wall and more light from an overhead fixture flooded the plum colored master bedroom.

Salinger was sitting regally on the queen sized sleigh bed using his paws to wash his muzzle. Keegan set her mug on the stand near the head of the bed, and pretended to fall on the cat, catching herself last minute and dropping a kiss on his head. She giggled and he just kept on preening. Alex glanced around; CD cases were standing proudly in what he guessed used to be a huge antique china closet, but the doors had been removed, a sophisticated looking entertainment system was sitting right beside it in a niche fixed into the wall. A large stained cherry wood dresser was in the opposite corner complete with different perfumes and other little knick knacks residing on it. She had another stand on the left side of the bed with a petite lamp on it, small figurines were painted on the body, and he thought they looked like fairies. In fact he could see a definite fairy theme developing in the space, there were two painted on the wall over her bed. Her laptop was plugged in and rested on a large black velvet ottoman; the matching chair was absent, and so were any pictures. Alex couldn't remember seeing any pictures of family or friends in the entire house so far.

"You look kind of scared," Keegan noted.

Alex glanced back at her; she was lying across her fluffy ivory colored blanket petting the cat that was contentedly curled on her stomach.

"This just isn't what I expected," he replied.

"And what did you expect whips and chains hanging from a wrought iron bed frame?" She smirked. "Or maybe a wet bar in the corner with bottles strewn all around."

"Well, that might not have surprised me. It's nice… Organized a lot better than my room, I got laundry up the ass man."

She smiled a bit. "Ya know we won't bite. You can have a seat if you like."

"Hmm… I'm not terribly worried about Salinger," he retorted grabbing the corner at the bottom of the bed. Keegan laughed and he asked, "hey where'd you come up with that name anyway?"

"It's after J.D. Salinger," she answered. "He wrote-"

"The Catcher in the Rye," Alex finished.

"Yeah."

"I can read. You don't need to look so surprised," he said this time.

"No," she giggled, "most people don't think I know who he is."

"Can't say as I blame them," Alex quipped.

"Fuck you!"

He laughed at her scowl; Salinger even seemed to glare at him. "I was kidding. I've definitely learned that there's more to you then what people perceive."

"Oh really, why is that? Was it my stunning disposition, my charming conversation skills?"

"No. It was the fact that you're just you. You do what you want regardless of other people or consequences, which although reckless and hurtful, it's also commendable."

Keegan stared at him for a minute and then quickly buried her face into Salinger's side.

"Not to mention you had a Hulk Hogan pillow," Alex added.

She snorted out a laugh making the cat hop off of her and lay down up by her pillows. She raked her hair back out of her face and sat up, crossing her legs under her skirt.

"I totally did," she smiled. "My first pet was a little gray cat we got from a shelter, when I was about four. I named her Miss Elizabeth."

"After the Macho Man's wife… nice," Alex smiled back. "I actually got to meet him. He's a pretty cool guy."

"Shut up. Really?"

"Yeah, he did some stuff with TNA a while back, wrestled a few matches."

"Wow. So, like how did you get into wrestling?"

"Ah… well I just kinda always wanted to do it. So I dedicated myself to it. I trained under Truth Martini and Scott D'Amore and busted my ass. I made it through some independents and did pretty well over in Japan, and now I'm working in TNA," he explained.

"You wrestled in Japan! That must've been awesome."

"Yeah. Like fans over there are different than over here. They're so into like the art of wrestling and care less about the storylines. But, fans over here are like crazy excited every show, it's awesome. I'm definitely a better wrestler for having worked in Japan."

"I love shopping over there. They have awesome 'Hello Kitty' stuff."

"Yeah," he quirked an eyebrow, "it's just to die for."

"Oh like you didn't love the culture while you were there," she argued.

"'Cause their whole culture is based around 'Hello Kitty'."

"You know what I mean," she rolled her eyes.

He didn't say anything; just let her have that one.

"So, where are you from?" She asked.

"Detroit, born and brought up. You like the shopping there?"

"Not really. They do have a lot of cool history there though. The civil rights riots in the '60s and what not."

He smiled a little impressed by that. "Yeah, it is kinda cool. There are still literally blocks of buildings that are burnt out and just like shells of what they once were. It's pretty cool to explore and go through them, as long as you don't get caught."

"That sounds like it would be pretty interesting. I'm jealous you got to do that."

"Where are you from?" He leaned back on his elbows getting more comfortable.

"Me?" She began to fiddle with the hem of her dress. "It doesn't really matter where I'm from, as long as I'm here now."

He narrowed his eyes at her almost like he was trying to see through her cryptic answer.

"So how'd you come to down to Orlando?" Keegan inquired before he could ask her anything else.

"TNA is stationed here. We do our weekly shows here so it's easier to just live near by. My friend Chris and I actually share an apartment."

"Now he's the blonde one that was with the girl all night?" she asked lying on her side and propping her head up with her hand.

"Yeah, that's Chris. We actually trained together; he's my tag partner too. We've been tagging together in ROH for a while and just this past year started tagging in TNA."

"ROH?"

"Oh, it's an independent organization, pretty famous, Chris and I have worked there for years. TNA used to allow its wrestlers to keep working with ROH, but then once it hit the big time ya know, they made their talent exclusive."

"Well damn there Mr. Shelley, you seem to be a pretty hot commodity," she smiled.

"What can I say, everybody wants me," he smirked. "So did you always wanna be an actress?"

Keegan shrugged. "Mmm, I don't know. I've always been good at it. And I really like the idea of becoming someone else, creating a whole other persona. It's fun."

"Were you in a lot of school plays or something?"

"Not really. In fact, I only started taking drama 'cause I needed another elective when I was in school."

"And where was that?" Alex prompted.

Keegan smiled softly. "What difference does it make?"

"I told you where I'm form."

"I'm from here and there and everywhere," she shrugged. "I've got a house in L.A. that I use when I'm working out there. I've lived in New York; I like it there a lot. I've even lived in Chicago for a little bit."

"Where'd you grow up?" He pressed.

Keegan sighed, flopping down and hiding her face in the blanket and a mess of her hair. "I grew up in Connecticut."

"Was that so hard? God, what was the big deal, ashamed of humble beginnings or something?"

"Something," she replied quietly.

"Did you really go to NYU?" He asked suddenly.

She giggled a little. "What, don't you think I could get in?"

He shrugged. "I don't know if you'd have the discipline."

Keegan looked taken aback, and Alex feared she'd get mad again. "You're probably right. I took an acting class there during a summer session. But I'll have you know, I take my craft very seriously and I am good at it. Have you ever even seen one of my movies?"

"Yeah. I saw _Double Vanity_ last month. It was good, you were good."

"Thanks. I didn't wanna do that film. My manager and I have different opinions on what are good roles for me. He wants me to keep doing like generic blockbusters ya know. I wanna do parts that are interesting and can present more of a challenge. I've done four movies where I'm essentially the same character. I'm always the side kick used for eye candy. Just once I wanna read a script where I'm not naked in the shower or have to do half of the movie in a skimpy outfit."

"Well, then tell him that. Don't do any more parts like that."

"As of right now that's all I'm being offered. People see me as the proverbial party girl."

Alex couldn't help but shake his head. "That's kinda your fault though."

"Yeah I know." She sighed deeply. "Like I didn't mean for it to get this out of control, I was just having fun in the beginning, but now people expect me to be carried out of a club. It's kinda ridiculous. Everyone wants to see you in the magazines, but then they disapprove when you get there. When I first started acting, my manager told me to go out and be seen."

"To go out and be seen is a far cry from getting completely wasted every night," Alex pointed out. "I mean do you even know how many clubs Emmett has carried you out of?"

"Well what would you have me do? Sit there and sip soda all night long. What the fuck is the point of going out then?"

"No one said you couldn't enjoy yourself, just stop over doing it."

She looked at him hard, like she was beginning to regret inviting him in. "Apparently our opinions of enjoyment differ."

"Apparently," he sighed. "What do you do aside from get wasted?"

Keegan flipped him off but answered him. "I like to shop."

"Of course," he rolled his eyes. "Anything else?"

She studied him for a moment, and then she grabbed his hand and dragged him out of her room.

"Where-"

"Just come on," she interrupted.

She led him to one of the other rooms in the hallway. It was a pale pink and had a bright bare light bulb hanging from the ceiling. Splashes of colors had been thrown all over the walls, the disarray made it look pretty cool. There were two rows of paintings leaning against the far wall, and an easel was set up facing the terrace. A canvas with the very beginnings of the next work was waiting to be added to. There were bottles of paints and collection of brushes in a small crate near the easel. Alex turned to look at the whole room, before he settled on the finished projects. Carefully he began to flip through them to see each one. They were all beautiful and all different types. Some were dark and abstract, others playful and bright. There were several scenes from the terrace view; the focal point in some being the stream that flowed through the back yard. He grinned when he found a portrait of a familiar looking cat done with lively colors.

"You did all these?"

Keegan nodded as she leaned against the door frame watching him. "This is what I like to do when I'm not getting wasted."

"These are really good. Have you ever had anything put in a gallery?"

"No," she quickly shook her head. "This is just for me. The rest of the world doesn't need to know everything about me."

Alex looked at the painting of Salinger again and finally asked, "do you have any siblings or anything? I mean you live here all alone right?"

"It's just me here. I do have two little brothers, well step brothers. But they're younger so…"

"Where are they, do you get to visit them a lot?"

She wrapped her arms around her stomach. "They live with my mom and their dad. I don't really get to see them much."

"In Connecticut?"

"Yeah. I'm form Hartford. Well originally I was from near Boston, but then my mom and I moved to Hartford when my father died. She met her next husband there and not long after that I had two little brothers. Zachy's 8 now and Ryan's just turned 6."

"Oh wow, they're really young. How old were you when you're mom got remarried?"

"I was 14. She knew him for six months before they got married, and barely a year later Zachy came," she explained looking down at the floor.

"Wow, that's quite an adjustment. You don't get along with him do you?"

Keegan sniffled and closed her eyes for a moment.

"My dad's the one who got me into wrestling when I was kid," she finally smiled. "We used to watch it every Saturday. My mom totally hated it."

"Sounds like my parents. My brother and I used to wrestle down in our basement, my mom used to yell at my dad to get us to settle down, he'd come down like he was gonna yell at us then he'd ref our matches," Alex chuckled.

"How many brothers do you have?"

"I've got a younger brother and a younger sister. She used to make our belts for us."

Keegan grinned at him. "You really did want to wrestle since you were little. What do your siblings do?"

"My brother manages an office for a car dealership in Detroit and my sister is a teacher."

"So they grew up and got proper jobs and you ran away to join the circus more or less."

He chuckled. "In a way yeah. They're really cool with it though. My sister runs my website and stuff like that."

"You have a website?" She asked incredulously.

"Of course. Man you gotta if you want any sort of decent marketing done," he replied.

"You're a man of many talents Alex Shelley."

"And you're a very exasperating woman Keegan Malloy."

She smiled and twirled out of the room. Alex looked around again then went after her. She was on the main staircase leading down to the living room.

"Are you hungry?" She asked.

"Ah… yeah, I guess so."

"C'mon."

They stopped in the living room and Keegan made sure the front door was locked and put the dead bolt in place. She keyed in the numbers on the security pad on the wall and then continued into the kitchen.

"You don't mess around do ya," Alex motioned to her small fortress.

"No. A photographer broke into my apartment in New York. Thankfully I was awake and heard him, now I don't take any chances. That's part of the reason I moved, I couldn't stay there anymore. Do you like ramen?"

"Why'd you come to Orlando and I haven't had ramen since I was a kid."

"Well, I came down for a few weeks to shoot _Double Vanity _and just ended up staying. I didn't wanna go back to New York, I can't be in L.A. unless I absolutely have to, and I like sunny weather all year round. Chicken okay?"

"Yeah, the warm weather is definitely a plus, but I do miss the snow around Christmas. What's wrong with L.A.? And chicken sounds fine."

She dug through the lower cupboards to find a pot and filled it with water. "L.A. and I just don't mesh well. I can't be there and function at the same time, I've tried and," she shook her head as she placed the pot on the stove. "There's just too much available there. I get stuff here easy, but L.A. just offers everything way too easy. I'd be dead by now if I lived there permanently."

She had a teasing quality to her voice, but Alex she was being completely honest. He glanced to the window above the sink and wasn't surprised to the see the gray light of early morning beginning to peek through the clouds.

"Well at least you know you have some limits," he said hopping up and sitting on the island.

"Look, I appreciate your obvious concern," she began sarcastically, "but can you lay off? I've been looking after myself for quite a while now, and I know what I'm doing. I just like to forget stuff sometimes. Everyone shuts out the world differently; some people take bubble baths or do yoga."

"You pop pills in clubs. Perfectly acceptable," Alex retorted.

"You shouldn't piss of the person that's feeding you, it's not very smart," she turned back to the stove.

"Neither am I," he muttered.

She looked over her shoulder at him and he thought he saw the hint of a smile. A noise caught his attention and he looked over by the door of the pantry. Salinger was happily munching out of his bowl on the floor.

"So, what's up with a hot commodity like you being single?"

He whipped his head back to look at her. "Huh?"

"Well you are single, how come?" Keegan asked leaning on the counter facing him.

"What makes you think I'm not seeing anyone?" He challenged.

"Well, you've spent the entire night with me and you haven't bothered to call anyone to tell them you were still hanging out with the boys," she concluded, "you're single."

He took a dramatically deep breath. "I'm single. I just haven't had time to devote to a relationship in a while. It's hard to find a woman who's okay with my life."

He scrunched his face as he said it. He knew it sounded lame, even to him, but it was the awkward truth regardless.

"If you found someone, you'd find the time," Keegan remarked, "that's a cop out."

"Fine, I just haven't found anyone that I want to make time for, better?"

"Very. How can we fix this problem if you refuse to address it properly Alex?"

"When did this become a problem?"

"As of right now." She moved to stand in between his knees. "What does a girl have to do to get you to want to make time for her?"

He smiled a little. "Well now how is it that with all this charm, you're still single?"

She chortled. "Do I look like girlfriend material? I'm just the hot chick you make out with in the bathroom of a bar."

"I've been in plenty of bathrooms in plenty of bars and have yet to see a chick as hot you," he replied leaning closer to her.

"I know," she smirked and turned back to put the noodles in the boiling water.

Alex let his head fall forward, almost letting a sigh escape.

Keegan spun back to face him. "You really thought it was going to be that easy?"

"Foolishly."

Keegan laughed and grabbed two bowls from a cabinet. She shook her head, "Oh, Alex."


	6. Chapter 6

~Okay, as usual I don't own any of the wrestlers. Totally put Jeff in here because he _finally_ won the championship and I nearly died I was so happy. I've only been waiting for them to do something good with him for 8 million years, and he totally deserves it. Anyway, as always I hope you enjoy this chapter as well as the story, and pretty please review. Thanks!~

Jeremy Fritz = Eric Young

Jamar Shipman = Jay Lethal

Jason Reso = Christian Cage

Phil Brooks = CM Punk

Scott Colton = Colt Cabana

Adam Copeland = Edge

~Chapter 6~

The music was barely a distraction to the ache that had settled into his body. He was slumped over a table in the catering area of the arena, resting his head on his arms. His hood kept the harsh fluorescent light at bay and his I-pod was drowning out the usual commotion. This was the most peace he'd had all weekend and he was relishing it.

Alex had made it home late Saturday morning when Britt came to collect Keegan for a meeting with some producers. She graciously dropped the young wrestler off at his apartment where he had just enough time to grab a shower and head to a promotional photo shoot for the new TNA video game. He was exhausted and grumpy and had to drag himself through a match for a house show later that same night. Chris invited Jamie over after the show, so Alex had to stay up and play host with the most to Lauren; who insisted on being less than her chipper self all night. She kept shooting him ice glares and he was certain her shoulder was frozen from her near silence towards him. As if that wasn't bad enough, everyone had to be at the Impact Zone obnoxiously early this morning because of some meeting that management had called to discuss the upcoming pay-per-view. Dude, was it really that hard; you showed up, waited for your match, went out and did your damn job. Was a meeting really necessary?

"Yo, you still being an anti-social prick?" Alex didn't hear the words so much as he felt the vibrations on the table from the other person sitting down.

He slowly picked his head up and removed his ear buds. "What," he nearly whined.

Chris smirked. "If you can't handle partying all weekend you may wanna rethink this relationship."

Alex scowled and moved to put his buds back in.

"Wait a minute," the blonde chuckled. "I wanted to ask you something."

"What?" He snapped.

"Can you get your girlfriend to sign my poster for me?"

"You forget I know where you sleep at night, keep fucking with me," Alex dared.

"Okay, okay," Chris held up his hands, but couldn't stop his smile. "Do you still wanna go over to Reso's and get in on the Halo tournament?"

Alex's finally brightened, "Hell yeah. We gotta man, we're the defending champs!"

"Jay and Jeremy are saying they're taking it this year."

"Um… Fuck that. We got this dude; we took down Reso and AJ last year. Jay and Jeremy… please, cake dude," Alex waved it off.

"I tried to tell them. Reso even tried to tell them, but nah, they didn't listen," he shrugged. "Let 'em get in, they're just losing money."

"Tell me about it," the brunette agreed. "You're not fawning all over Jamie tonight then?"

Chris blushed a little and started to peel the label off his water bottle. "She's busy tonight, something about going to the movies with Lauren. They're going to see that vampire movie that just came out."

"Oh, yeah, that one based on those books."

Chris nodded. He looked thoughtfully at his partner, "you call her yet?"

Alex rolled his mocha brown eyes. This was millionth time he heard this question, and not just from Chris. It seemed like everyone knew that he'd met Keegan Malloy, hell even Jim Cornette asked him about her this morning.

"I'm gonna wait for her to call me. Besides, I don't technically have her number," he confessed.

"Which I still don't get," Chris exasperated. "How do you spend the entire night with her and not score her digits?"

"I just didn't think to ask her, like it really wasn't that important when she was right in front of me," he shrugged.

"Too busy tapping that, totally understandable bro," Chris winked.

"For the last time," Alex gritted his teeth. "Nothing happened. We really did talk all night."

"Is that why you're so cranky?" Chris cocked an eyebrow.

Alex snarled and swiped at his friend, but the blonde jumped off the seat and jogged away, cackling. The young brunette brushed his fingers over his phone in his hoodie pocket. He could always call Britt and ask to speak to her. He debated for about a millisecond, before resolving if Keegan wanted to talk to him then she could call. With a sigh he put his ear buds back in, maybe he could catch a nap before the show started.

Alex and Chris stood back leaning against the ropes behind the celebrating group that was all clustered in the ring. JB was currently interviewing the new X-division champ, Eric Young. The Motor City Machine Guns were playing up their cool rebel without cause angle perfectly as they made sure to look completely disinterested. The crowd was really loud despite it only being another house show. This little gathering down in the ring was all the Guns had to do for the evening, and Alex wasn't complaining about the easy night.

"Dude, after this, so dominating Halo," Chris leaned over to whisper to him while Joe and AJ rambled on about the Main Event Mafia assuring the fans that they were going to take the respect that the older guys preached so much about.

"Hell yeah bro," Alex grinned back. "You ever notice that when Joe gets all into it and his vein bulges it kinda looks like Cape Cod."

Chris looked intently at the man on the mic. "The hook part, definitely," he nodded solemnly.

Alex tried to hold in his laughter, but once Chris coughed trying to cover up a snort he lost it. The blonde gave up all lame attempts and his shoulders began to shake.

"Ahem," Alex tried to clear out the chuckles when everyone in the ring turned to look at the guffawing tag team. "Ahem," it didn't work and he squeezed his eyes shut now because all he could see was the damn Cape Cod vein. He was almost bouncing with his efforts.

Chris elbowed him in the side, which only served to make him worse.

"Sorry," the blonde chuckled covering his mouth with his hand. "Sorry," he quickly closed his eyes unable to look at the Samoan Submission Machine either.

"Yeah, like I was saying…" Joe continued with a glare.

The Guns followed the gang back up the ramp giggling all the way. Jay Lethal and Eric Young threw them disapproving looks. But once they were all behind the curtain a grinning Jeremy Fritz and chuckling Jamar Shipman turned on them.

"What's so funny?" the blonde Candian inquired.

Chris and Alex looked at each other then busted up again.

"Dude, serioously. What's up?" Jay wondered.

"You ever been to Cape Cod?" Alex asked them.

"Yeah," Jeremy shrugged. "So?"

"Just watch Joe next time he's on the mic," Chris replied, "and think about the hook."

Alex snickered and nudged Chris when the culprit of their outbursts approached.

"What was up out there man? You guys forget you were in like front of people or something?" Joe demanded.

"Dude we weren't that bad," Alex argued.

"Well it was supposed to be serious man and you two were over there cackling like a couple of hyenas."

"Sorry, it was just funny," Chris supplied.

"Whatever it was I'm sure it was hilarious knowing you two. Watch it next time alright."

"No problem Joe, sorry. We didn't mess anything up though. We're supposed to be annoying and disrespectful remember?" Alex replied.

"Only to Mick Foley boys," Joe winked and then headed down the hall to his locker room.

"Anyway, we gotta go get changed," Jeremy said, "gotta hurry and get to Reso's to beat you guys."

"Ha. Ha. Don't make me laugh." Chris taunted. "You beat us… Please."

"Seriously dude," Alex threw his arm around his friend's shoulders. "We took out Reso and AJ last year guys. You're so clearly outta your league."

"We'll see, we'll see," Jay replied. "You ain't won this one yet."

"Ah foolish young gamers," Chris shook his head. "You do not realize the challenge you are undertaking. Sensei Sabin and Master Shelley have never been defeated in the annual Halo Tournaments."

"The grasshoppers shall not surpass the teachers in this encounter," Alex added. He bowed to the opponents they would meet later.

"Shall we Master Shelley. We must prepare our minds, bodies, and souls. Let us retire to do so," Chris suggested.

"Gather the incense, we shall pray to the Halo Gods and ask for their swift fingers and their quick reflexes."

Jay and Jeremy shook their heads, but indulged in a laugh. "What time are we supposed to be there?" The darker boy asked.

"Hey guys," AJ Styles called from down the hall. "Meet us at Reso's by 7:30."

"Well there ya go," Chris said.

"Ask and apparently you shall receive," Alex noted.

"Alright, we'll be there," Jeremy called to AJ. "Prepare to lose your title bitches."

"Yeah, you're only the champs 'cause me and Jeremy weren't in it last year. You're going down punks," Jay taunted.

The opposing team heckled the other one all the way down to the locker room. Chris simply shook his head. Alex crossed his arms and rolled his eyes.

"Dude, it's kinda cute how they think they actually stand a chance," the brunette said.

"I know," his blonde counterpart agreed. "I can't wait to crush their dreams."

Alex chuckled, and the boys exchanged a high five before going to collect their stuff and head over to the most anticipated grudge match of the year

When the boys from Detroit entered Jason Reso's house, it was clear that the annual event was in full swing. A bunch of guys were standing around, a few with a bottle of beer, but all were talking trash about their opponents. Alex and Chris smiled and nodded at the other guys.

"It's all fucking color coded asshole, read the names," a familiar growl came from the kitchen.

"Dude I miss him," Chris commented as the Guns went into the kitchen.

"I see the colors dipshit, all I'm asking is how the fuck you came up with the order for this? You're seriously gonna have them go against each other in the opening round, we'll be here for days," another argument was shouted.

Phil Brooks and his team mate for the tournament, Scott Colton, were overlooking the poster holding the order the games would be played in. Jeff Hardy chuckled slightly while he colored on his nails with the sharpies he'd used to write on the poster.

"'Cause that's what's written in the book asshole. What, you've got some pressing engagement?" Phil fired back.

"You know he's gotta run home and check the DVR Punk," Jeff threw out, "he can't miss 'Sexy College Co-eds Who Swallow'."

"More action than you're getting," Scott snapped.

"'Sup boys," Alex through his arms around his long time companions.

"When the fuck did you sneak in?" Phil pulled him into one of those cool bromance hugs.

"Just now, what up Cabana?"

"Hey. I was wondering when the divas would finally arrive."

"Fuck you son. Just thank god Reso took your sorry ass back in this year," Chris retorted.

"We all know you're only here 'cause Punkers carries the team. Kinda like when you guys wrestled together," Alex quipped.

A chorus of "ohhs" echoed throughout the kitchen. Jason came through the sliding glass doors and grinned when he noticed the order for the night was done.

"Awesome guys, let's get this party started," he checked the poster against the arrangement written in an old spiral notebook. "Adam, you got the X-boxes set up?"

"Yup," Adam Copeland strode into the kitchen. "Who's up first?"

"You and Terry against Jay and AJ on the main screen and then Jamar and Jeremy against me and Mattie on the LCD screen," Jeff informed.

"Oh man, that's gonna get confusing," Jay remarked. "I totally forgot that half the people here are gonna call Reso Jay."

"Shit did we differentiate on the chart?" Jason asked.

"Um…" Jeff glanced at the poster. "He's down as Jamar and you're down as Jay. If we change it you're gonna mess up the color coding."

"That works," the Canadian nodded. "Jesus Christ it wasn't this complicated last year."

"We didn't have two screens last year either," AJ pointed out. "This took us three days."

"True. Let's aim for two this year."

"Dude we starting this shit some time tonight?" A shout sounded from the living room.

"Can you tell he's pumped for this," Adam laughed. "Calm the fuck down Ter, we're coming."

"So's Jeff's world title reign, now come on," the war machine fired back.

Jeff rolled his eyes but followed the others into the living room to begin the games. The furniture had been pushed to the edge of the room to accommodate the new LCD projector. A couch was sitting in front of the large flat screen television on the right wall while a love seat, an arm chair, and a large bean bag were in front of the LCD screen.

Chris and Alex grabbed two vacant chairs that had been dragged in from the kitchen. They settled in watching the matches unfold as did everyone else. They took the opportunity to scope out the competition. Chris kept an eye on the games on the projection screen and Alex paid attention to the television screen. When it came time for their first round they were focused and ready. They made it to the semi finals undefeated.

"Let's see what you got Cabana," Alex jeered.

"Oh don't worry Shelley, you'll be carrying my balls in a second," Scott rejoined.

"Fuck," Alex cursed a second later.

"Upper right. Go." Chris ordered.

"Got it," Alex went after the extra life points while his partner covered him.

"Scotty block man," Phil yelled.

"Shit." The younger boy swore when he missed and was hit himself.

"Nice," Alex nodded. "Down."

Chris ducked just in time; Alex shot at Phil but missed.

"Not today bitches," the black haired boy fired his own shot. "Direct hit Sabin. What!"

"Fucker," the blonde replied. He hurried for some cover. "Alex?"

"Got him."

"No you don't," Scott fired at Alex and hit him.

"And the new Halo Champions are…" Phil trailed off.

"Not yet Punk. Alex down." Chris threw out heavier ammunition and when it detonated it took out Scott and Phil.

"Motherfucker!" Scott threw the controller down.

"Seriously?!" Phil echoed.

"Yeah dude!" Alex pulled Chris into a celebratory hug. "I forgot you had that man. That was so awesome."

"Alright, Punk and Scotty are out." Adam crossed the team off the poster. "Alex and Chris advance. You're opponents are being decided as we speak, either the Hardy's or the double Js. Jimmy and Matt versus Danny and Jack on the flat screen."

"Double Js?" Alex questioned.

"Jay and Jeremy," Chris clarified.

"Well how appropriate," the brunette followed the blonde into the kitchen.

"On all fronts," he grabbed two sodas out of the large stocked fridge and tossed one to his friend.

Alex hopped up on the table sipping his drink. He was just about to say something when his phone began to ring. He dug it out of his jeans pocket glancing at the screen. He didn't recognize the number and was hesitant to answer it.

"Hello," he asked cautiously.

"Come out with me tonight." A soft velvety voice kissed his ears.

He grinned. "I'm kinda busy at the moment. Where do you want to go?"

"We're going to dinner then heading to Addiction. Meet me there."

"I can't. There's this annual Halo Tournament Chris and I are playing in. We're-"

"Halo?" Keegan interrupted. "You're ditching me for a video game?"

"We're the defending champions from last year, and so far undefeated tonight."

"Wow, how awesome," she mocked. "So I'll see you at Addiction."

"Well I don't know when we're gonna get done, hopefully not for a while. Um… what are you doing tomorrow night?" Alex asked.

"I don't know yet," she giggled, "I never make plans I just do it."

"That probably makes it very difficult to get friends together. Spur of the moment ideas are hard to pull off."

"Honestly if I ask someone to come with me or meet me they usually do. Not many people tell me no," Keegan replied. "So, we should be there around 11:30."

"I don't think we'll be done by then. We're on our way to the finals," Alex protested. "I'm actually off tomorrow. What are you doing then?"

"I already told you I don't know yet. I wanted to see you tonight, but you're apparently busy. Good luck with your game."

"Keegan wait-" But all he got was dial tone. "God damnit!"

"What?" Chris begged. "What did she say?"

"She wanted me to meet her at Addiction later."

"Tonight? When?"

Alex sighed, "Like 11:30."

Chris looked at his watch, "aww man. I mean we're kicking ass here but I don't think we'll be done by then."

Alex chuckled. "It's fine, let's go finish this."

"You sure? Like if you want you can go. I'll snag Punk or something," Chris offered.

Alex just stared at him for a second. "I don't know if I should be offended or touched. I appreciate it man… but Punk?"

Chris laughed. "It was supposed to be a nice thing. I mean if you do wanna see Keegan, I'll understand."

"Well yeah I wanna see her. But I also wanna finish kicking everybody's else's ass. You really think I'm gonna bail on this, we've been waiting for this since last year bro."

"I know. But it's Keegan Malloy…"

"And I'm sure she'll be around tomorrow, but right now Alex and Chris collectively known as 'The Motor Sexy Machine Guns' got some ass to whip and a tournament to win."

"Why can't it be Chris and Alex? Why are you always first?" The blonde asked sarcastically.

Alex snickered, "I don't know. A comes before C."

"Ah, good point." Chris nodded.

"You're such a fucking retard."

Cheers sprang from the living room and Jamar could be heard shouting. Adam boomed over the other voices that the 'Double Js' had won.

"Looks like we got our next mission," Chris cracked his knuckles. "You take Jay, leave Jeremy to me. We gotta ninja this one too; we can't talk too much this round."

"I'm picking up what you're laying down."

"Yo. Shelley, Sabin, you're up" Matt Hardy shouted.

"Commin'." Chris yelled back. "Are you prepared Master Shelley?"

"Indeed. It is time to go teach the young grasshoppers Sensei Sabin."

The boys headed into the living room intent on keeping their Halo Tournament title.

"Oh oh oh…. OHHH!!!!!" Chris leapt off the couch and threw the game controller.

"YES!!!" Alex jumped up hands thrown in the air. "What did we tell you?!"

"Cake baby, cake!" Chris laughed and grabbed his partner in a hug.

"Second year in a row bro," Alex clapped him on the back.

Applause sprang up around them, even from the losing team of Jason and AJ.

"Good game guys," AJ extended his hand.

"Aww man, that was sweet," Chris accepted his offer.

Jason brought out a glass bowl with money in it. He presented it to the winners and announced them as the champions. Everyone congratulated them and slowly the crowd began to thin out. Scott and Phil engulfed the boys in a hug before they left.

"Make sure you guys fucking call once in a while," Phil ordered.

"Def, we will," Chris promised. "It was awesome kicking your ass by the way."

"Yeah, yeah," Scott snuck a headlock around the blonde and ruffled his hair. "Fuckers are gonna get it next year."

"Whatever Cabana. Hurry home to jack off to your porn," Alex quipped.

He laughed releasing Chris. "Speaking of jack offs, hey yo, Rainbow Bright where you at?"

Jeff Hardy rolled his eyes from the front door. "If ya'll are catching a ride let's go. When I said Punk could come with us I didn't know he'd be bringing the fat kid from Stand By Me with him."

Scott flipped him off, but Phil nearly fell over from laughing so hard. "Be good guys. C'mon Vern."

The Michigan natives snickered. "Later Punkers."

"So Jeff Hardy just became my new favorite person," Alex declared.

"Dude, Hardy gets like eight million gold stars for that. Aww, Vern," Chris agreed.

"Hey what time is it?"

The older boy consulted his watch, "ten after one. You know she's still there."

Alex shrugged. "Probably, it's late though…"

"Dude, if you don't go see her I might just kick your ass right here."

"Like you could."

The blonde simply raised his eyebrows.

"Alright, alright, Jesus hurry up," Alex carried the now empty bowl back into the kitchen.

Jason, Adam, AJ, and Terry were sitting around the table in the chairs that had been replaced.

"The undisputed champions of Halo ladies and gents," Adam praised.

Alex smiled a little. "Thanks man. We're gonna take off, it was awesome though. Thanks Reso."

"No problem. Just be prepared to lose next year," the owner of the house replied.

"Hey man, all comers. If you think you can take us step on up."

"Dude, let's roll. It's getting late," Chris reminded. "Thanks guys it was wicked fun."

"Of course. Now will you please get the hell outta here," Jason smirked. "You're never gonna meet Keegan if you don't get going."

Alex blushed, but shook his head. "Later guys."

Chris was dropped off at the apartment, even though Alex told him he was more than welcomed to come. He said it was best that the younger boy go alone, besides he had a phone call to make. Alex grabbed his phone and texted the number Keegan had called from.

_You still at Addiction?_

He sped off toward the club waiting for her answer.


	7. Chapter 7

~As usual I don't own any of the wrestlers. Chase Davenport is fictional, I don't know who owns Universal Studios. I belive it was the 12/18 Impact on which Chris actually refered to Alex as his heterosexual life mate in a promo and I laughed ridicously hard, so I had to add it in lol. Thanks to everyone who has read this story (or any others I've written). I really hope you've liked them. I've appreciated the reviews. Please keep telling me what you think. Reviews are better than chocolate :) ~

~Chapter 7~

By the time Alex arrived at Addiction Keegan still had not texted him back. He grabbed his phone out of the cup holder and allowed the valet to park his civic. The line wasn't that long tonight, but even without the grand entrance and the knockouts he didn't have to wait. He got in the club and headed for the VIP room. He stopped short, the body guard watching the door didn't look familiar. He looked around the darkened club, but didn't see Emmett anywhere. He headed up to the bar. Even that was less crowded, but it wasn't the weekend either. The bar tender approached him.

"Hey man. What can I get ya?"

"Is Keegan Malloy still here?" Alex asked.

"She took off about 45 minutes ago."

"You hear where she was going by any chance?"

"Well I know that Chase likes to go Wonderland over on West Boulevard," the bar tender informed.

"Chase?"

"Chase Davenport. He came in before Keegan and they left together shortly after she got here."

"Chase Davenport, the trust fund kid?"

"Yup, so rich he could he buy about half the country, that's him. Must be nice that daddy owns Universal Studios."

"Yeah right," Alex rolled his eyes. "They went to Wonderland?"

"I don't know for sure, but my buddy works down there and he says Chase's in there all the time."

"Thanks man."

Alex hurried back out, collected his car and drove the few blocks to the bar. He parked but debated going in. She still hadn't returned his text message.

"What am I doing?" He asked himself. "I'm stalking her. This could seriously be considered stalking."

Alex shook his head and left the bar. He was tired and he had stuff to do in the morning. When he got back to the apartment Chris was sitting on their couch in a pair of flannel pajama pants eating handfuls of Reeses Peanut Butter Puffs out of the box. He looked up with a handful halfway to his mouth.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"I live here," the brunette replied tossing his keys on the stand. "Nice midnight snack."

"No milk," he shrugged. "What happened with Keegan?"

"She wasn't there, so I came home. Besides I got get up early tomorrow and hit the gym. How's Jamie?"

"Good. They liked the movie. How would you feel about hanging tomorrow?"

"Dude," Alex whined going down the hall into his bedroom. He came back out a few minutes later in an old pair of track pants. "Why do I have to come? Lauren made it perfectly obvious that she wanted to skin me alive. You and Jamie don't need a babysitter."

"Yeah but like we're still in the early stages man, it's less pressure when we all hang out."

"Dude you sound like you're in the 11th grade and Lore had an attitude with me all last night. Why don't you and Jamie just go out to dinner like normal people?" Alex flopped down beside his friend and dug into the cereal box.

Chris sighed. "I don't know. I guess I just don't wanna do anything lame with her. It's easier to just chill with everybody."

"Have you ever stopped to think that she might want to just hang out with you… alone? Maybe it's time to man up and take her out on a proper date."

"Maybe. I'll see what she says."

Alex rolled his eyes. "What would you do without me?"

"Let's pray I never have to find out."

"You're so hopeless."

"Dude, you're like my heterosexual life mate, I'd totally be lost without you."

The younger boy made a face then cracked up. "I wanna make a national holiday for that. Heterosexual Life Mate Day, it'll totally catch on."

"I can make you a card," Chris offered with a chuckle.

"You better, I want one," Alex replied. "Dude, we gotta use that in a promo."

Chris nodded in agreement, "def."

They sat up for a while longer flipping through channels and putting a dent in the cereal, finally the blonde decided to call it a night. He bid his roommate goodnight then headed to his room right off the open living area. Alex lasted a few minutes longer then went down the hall to his bedroom. He plugged his charger into his phone and just as he lay down the device vibrated indicating he had a text message. Groaning, he grabbed it and opened the electronic envelope.

_Fuck off ~Kam_

He chuckled but didn't answer her.

~xxx~

The week went by without incident and before Alex knew it he was hanging out backstage at the weekly Impact taping. He was sitting in the locker room going over the script for the night, he and Chris were working the fourth match in; The Motor City Machine Guns against Beer Money; albeit non title, it was a start. Chris had disappeared a few minutes after they arrived at the arena claiming he had to talk to Cornett, but Alex knew better. Christy had come by a little bit ago asking if Alex had seen Jamie.

"Hey, have you seen this shit?" Chris burst through the door, a certain knockout right behind him.

"I haven't seen any shit," Alex answered disinterestedly.

"Well you'll want to." Chris tossed a magazine to his partner.

"What," the younger boy looked fleetingly at it.

"Page 42. Look at it."

Alex turned to it and the retort died on his tongue. A picture of Keegan and Chase Davenport were plastered on the whole page; his arms were wound tightly around her bare midriff and he was leaning in so their lips were almost touching. There was a small blurb on the next page with a smaller pictorial spread. Keegan was up on a table drink in hand dancing. In the next one Chase was pulling her toward him by the brim of her skin tight black pants. And in the third picture she was bending over delivering a kiss to him.

"_Actress Keegan Malloy out celebrating her new role in an upcoming film caught making out with her on again off again boy toy Chase Davenport. Although they have denied the rumors for months now it's obvious they were enjoying themselves at Wonderland." _

"So what?" Alex asked after re-reading it.

"Well what the fuck?" Chris demanded. "She just goes out with other dudes?"

"Who said she couldn't?" the young brunette shrugged.

"But like you… I mean aren't you… You're okay with this?"

He glanced back at the pictures and stood up quickly. Grabbing his hoodie he replied, "We hung out once we're not engaged. She can do whatever the fuck she wants."

"Alex," Chris called but he was ignored.

"Let him go," Jamie put her hand on his shoulder. "He'll be alright."

Alex headed outside to the back parking lot the employees used. He pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, so much for quitting. He lit it and blew the smoke out in a sigh. What he said to Chris was true; he and Keegan weren't anything to each other. Then why did he feel like he just got nailed in the stomach with a steel chair?

He nearly jumped out of his skin when his cell phone began to ring. He stubbed the cigarette out and answered.

"Hello?"

"Well Mr. Shelley it's about time I got a hold of you," a velvet smile came through.

He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall. "Hey."

"Did you win?" Keegan asked.

"Win what?"

"The Halo Tournament silly," she giggled. "How'd you guys do?"

"We won."

"Oh cool. Maybe you could teach me to play sometime. They gave me a Nintendo DS and I can only play Tetris on it."

"You want me to teach you how to play?" He asked skeptically.

"Well yeah, why wouldn't I? If you're as good as you say you are that is. I don't want to learn from a total loser."

"Well you're talking to a two time Halo Champion," he smiled in spite of himself.

"Oh well then…" she chuckled.

"You got another part in a movie?"

"Yeah! That's what I wanted you to come out with me for. Benjamin Davenport, he owns Universal Studios, he offered me a part in the new movie he's producing. I went and auditioned for him and the director last week, so that's why I haven't been able to call or anything. It's been pretty hectic."

"Yeah, whoa it sounds it."

"Hey, guess what I'm doing right now," if she caught his sardonic tone she didn't let on.

Somewhere in the distance he heard the crowd waiting to get inside the Impact Zone go wild. "I don't know what?"

"Pulling into the studio," she replied.

"Damn girl another meeting? They're gonna work you to death."

"No, I'm pulling into Universal Studios. I'm coming to see Impact."

He nearly dropped his phone on the ground.

"Alex? You still there?" Keegan asked.

"You're coming here? Really?"

"I'm here." The screaming got louder, "I'll see ya in few."

"Wait, Keegan-" But she'd ended the call.

Alex was glued to the asphalt as a million thoughts bounced inside his skull. She was here… to see him? What about Chase Davenport? How did she manage to do this and why didn't somebody tell him? He jarred himself awake and hurried back inside. He felt like there were birds fluttering in his stomach, but the pictures still made him uneasy, like his birds had broken wings.

Alex made his way back to the dressing room accidentally ruining Chris and Jamie's game of tonsil hockey.

"Well I can see I'm gonna have to start knocking or something," he smirked.

Jamie blushed all the way up to the tips of her ears. Chris simply shrugged, "it'd be appreciated."

"Go get your own fucking locker room then. You could just wait 'til you get home to get all nasty."

"I gotta go to make up anyway. I'll see ya guys later." Jamie waved sheepishly.

Alex fell onto the bench and raked a hand through his hair. "So guess who's here."

"Who?" His tag partner inquired.

"Keegan Malloy."

"Shut-up!"

"Swear. She just got here; she's on her way in."

"She's coming to see you?" Chris inquired.

"Seems that way. Dude, I don't know if I can do this. Half of me really wants to see her and the other half wishes I hadn't even wasted my time on this. Seriously, where is any of this gonna go? We're in two different worlds; she needs to be with someone like Chase Davenport." Alex sighed, his head dropping with all the pressure.

"You just said ten minutes ago that there's nothing between you, so why are you bugging right now?" Chris asked. "Relax bro, just go with it. Sometimes you over analyze stuff, ya know."

"That's your great advice to me? The shit I tell you is at least useful."

The blonde shrugged. "Apparently I'm the dude in our relationship."

"Yeah, where the fuck's my card huh?"

"I'm working on it. You can't rush great art."

Alex rolled his eyes and honestly wondered if anyone else would be able to put up with either of them. He figured not, and preferred it that way.

Suddenly the door burst open and Jamar eagerly led Keegan through it.

"Right this way Miss Malloy."

"Thank you," she smiled softly. "Are you sure I can't sign anything else for you?"

"Ah… no it's alright. Can I bring you something from catering? A bottle of water or a cup of coffee?" He offered.

She smiled at him, but Alex answered before she could. "Jay she's fine man. You can go."

He glared at the Michigan native and turned back to the actress. "Anything at all, a soda maybe?"

"Jay!" Alex warned.

"Some crackers or a cookie?"

Keegan chuckled warmly quite amused at Alex's unnoticed sigh. "No I'm fine. Thanks for showing me around though. I never would've found the right locker room."

"Anytime," Jay beamed.

Keegan blatantly looked toward the door but it took a second for her young navigator to take the hint.

"Oh. Oh, I'll just go… But if you need anything…"

"I'll be sure to ask you."

He nodded affirmatively and slowly left down the hall.

Keegan laughed and turned to the room's regular occupants. "Is he always like that?"

"He's a big fan," Chris blurted out a light blush staining his cheeks.

"I see. And do you like my movies?"

"I think they're great. You always look so beautiful and do such a great job in them. _Double Vanity_ was my favorite."

"Well thank you very much," she smirked. "Would you like an autograph?"

"Oh… Um… Would you, could you?" Chris fumbled with the magazine Alex had tossed down earlier.

"Of course."

"No." Alex answered at the same time, glaring at his best friend. "What are you doing here?"

Keegan squinted at him. "I'm here to watch Impact," she put her hands proudly on her hips.

Alex's eyes widened when he noticed the Motor City Machine Guns t-shirt she was sporting. She paired it with a simple pair of tight jeans, holes already fabricated at the knee. Her hair was swept up in a fashionable mess with a few pieces falling to frame her face.

"Nice outfit."

"Gotta support my boys."

"Your boys?" Alex repeated incredulously.

"Well, you're not The Mega Powers but," she smiled.

Even now Alex couldn't help but to smile at her reference. "Who is?"

"Well I want your autographs," she eagerly held out the bottom of her t-shirt and pulled a sharpie out of her pocket.

The boys chuckled but complied with her wishes, Chris blushing the whole time. Alex handed her back the marker holding her gaze longer than necessary. Keegan dropped it first and finally asked to be introduced to some of the other TNA stars.

"You could just walk down the hall and wait for them to come to you," Alex pointed out.

"Now where's the fun in that?"

"Yeah dude," Chris quickly added. "Let's not be rude."

"Thank you Chris. It's good to know that chivalry isn't dead after all."

The sandy blonde held the door open for her and didn't waste a second to fall in step beside her. Alex rolled his eyes but followed them. The Guns escorted the actress down to the catering area where most everyone was gathered. Everything seemed to stop all at once and the whole room looked up when Keegan came in. She smiled a little and her stride never faltered.

"Chris," a familiar voice called from a table.

He grinned and headed over to Jamie. "Hey girls," he greeted.

The knockouts stared at Keegan, most in awe, but there was a distinct glare making it clear not everyone appreciated her presence.

"So this is Keegan Malloy," Chris introduced. "And this is Christy, Jess, Shantelle**, **the very beautiful Jamie, and Lauren."

Greetings went around the table and Keegan was invited to sit down. The girls made small talk for a few minutes.

"Wasn't Alex with you guys when you came in?" Lauren cut Keegan off mid sentence.

"He was right here." Chris glanced around the crowded room, a tad unnerved to find everyone looking in his direction.

Lauren steeled her blue gray eyes at the young actress, "He did say he wanted to hang out tonight right?"

"Um…" Chris shrugged unaware of any plans.

"He's over there talking to AJ and Reso," Christy pointed.

"Well it was lovely to meet you ladies. I can't wait to watch you in the ring," Keegan stood up. "Good luck."

She crossed the room to the other table smiling at the sweep of eyes that followed her.

"So like I'm saying if you guys take them out first then it'll be no problem," Alex said.

"Hello," Keegan cut in, "Do you mind if I sit down?"

"Not at all," AJ replied instantly.

"By all means," Jason added.

"Thank you." She took a seat in between AJ and Jason staring at Alex across the table.

"So, are you a big TNA fan Miss Malloy?" AJ asked, his accent thickening a bit.

"To be perfectly honest… I haven't watched wrestling in a long time. But I have started to DV-R Impact. I really like you AJ; I think you're pretty awesome."

He blushed cherry red and mumbled his thanks. Jason spoke up then. "You must be Guns fan from the looks of things."

Keegan threw a smirk at Alex. "Indeed I am. I especially like Chris. His hesitation drop kick is bad ass."

The young brunette smiled to himself and shook his head as she continued.

"Although Alex is pretty good too. He's clearly the eye candy of the team though."

AJ and Jason looked from the actress to the wrestler not quite sure if they should laugh. But Alex didn't seem to take offense so they offered a pair of lop sided smiles.

"Well, that certainly means a lot coming from you Kam," Alex smirked. "You are the foremost expert on eye candy."

Keegan's eyes narrowed and the corners of her mouth twitched slightly. "Of course I'm sure you could take lessons from the bleach blonde a few tables over."

Jason and AJ glanced at each other with raised eyebrows. Alex looked over at the girls table and found Lauren staring daggers.

"Lore?" He turned back to Keegan.

"Whatever her name is, she seemed rather eager to hang out with you tonight. If I knew you had other plans I wouldn't have wasted my time."

"Well I'm sure Chase Davenport is available again so the night won't be a total bust," Alex retorted.

"Um… Coffee?" AJ jumped up.

"Right behind ya," Jason was hot on his heels.

"Chase?" Keegan questioned oblivious that the other two wrestlers had left. "What does he have to do with anything?"

"Why does it matter if Lauren and I hang out, when you can obviously replace me in a matter of minutes?" Alex fired back.

"What are you talking about?"

"Did you enjoy yourselves at Wonderland last week?" His demand was loud enough for people to stop being discreet and openly stare at them.

Keegan began to snicker as she realized. "What magazine was that in?"

"Are you denying it?"

She smirked. "No. But I did invite you first, I'm not gonna wait around for you Alex. You made your choice, you didn't come and that's fine."

"I went to Addiction when I was done; you'd left with him already. Seems I missed out on quite the party, you do look good up on a table I've gotta say."

Keegan finally lost that mischievous spark from her eye. She drew her arms up to her chest and glanced around the room at all the eyes focused on the pair. She set her jaw and fixed Alex with a hard flat look.

"You take Chase out to thank him for getting you the part?" Alex kept at her. "I guess you hang around the son of a producer long enough you're bound to get at least one bone thrown your way."

Chris' eyes nearly popped out of his head and Christy shook her head.

"Shit," the blonde swore.

"Damage control stat." The red haired knock out and the x-division star quickly headed for the feuding table.

Alex saw Keegan wince at the jab and the broken birds began to fly around in his stomach again. She squared her shoulders and cocked her head slightly.

"Jealous honey? I can imagine how hard it must be to bust your ass for so long and still just not measure up. I mean Chase is barely 21 and he already owns this very building. Come to think of it… he kinda owns you, doesn't he?"

Alex's mocha eyes darkened and he was ready to deliver an answer, however, his partner clapped his hand down on his shoulder. Christy stood beside Keegan, a friendly smile trying to quell the powder keg.

"Alex, can I burrow you for a second… Bobby and James just came in and we should go over the spots real quick. Red, you got this? Why don't you take Keegan and show her the ring? That'd be rad," Chris suggested.

"Great idea. C'mon Keegan. It's really cool."

Her glare remained fixed on Alex for second before she finally returned Christy's smile. "That does sound pretty awesome."

Keegan stood up gracefully to all of her 5'3 height and followed the red head out of the catering area.

"Are you on drugs?!" Chris demanded sitting next to his friend. "Keegan fucking Malloy came to watch you wrestle… Hello! She's obviously interested in you, why are you dicking yourself over?"

Alex growled under his breath and looked at all the people that were looking at him. He got up, snatched up a bottle of water, and stormed out. Chris hurried after him not surprised he went outside to the parking lot and lit up a cigarette.

"I thought you were quitting," the blonde admonished.

Alex stared at him as if he was shooting laser beams out of his eyes. "Not. Now."

Chris held up his hands in defense and leaned back against the wall of the arena. He gave his partner a few peaceful minutes of nicotine filled silence.

He finally broke it, "you like her."

Alex flipped him off and continued pacing.

"Like you _really _like her," Chris continued.

Again he got no response, not that he expected one. He went on with the one sided conversation. "Why don't you just tell her dude, 'cause attacking her integrity isn't really the best way to let her know that you're into her."

Alex sighed and came to a stop. He leaned against the brick wall next to Chris.

"It's not that I like her, or even that I don't… It's just… Ugh, you've seen her. She's so sure about how great she is. And I mean she pretty much is… but god damn it… I'm not."

~xxx~

Christy had led Keegan up through one of the Impact tunnels and now the two girls were checking out the famous six sided ring. Keegan was bouncing in the middle of the mat, intrigued that it wasn't as pliable as she imagined. Christy, never the one to waste time being shy, intended to get some answers.

"So, you must go out a lot. I mean you're always in the papers."

"People like to talk and they tend to make a big deal out of nothing. Does it hurt when you hit this thing?" Keegan replied.

"Not as much as you'd think. It isn't like landing on pillows but you get used to it. Do you ever get tired of them talking about you?"

"Do you like it when people say that the only thing you're good at is taking your clothes off for playboy?"

The feisty knock out nodded sympathetically. "Point taken."

Keegan walked over and ran her hand along the top rope. "I liked your cover by the way. I thought you looked great in it."

"You saw it?"

"Uh-huh. Dude, I'm totally cool with saying a chick's hot. I mean if you're looking good then you're looking good," she shrugged.

Christy grinned. "I've totally got a girl crush on you too."

Keegan laughed and actually offered a genuine smile. "In that case, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"That blonde girl, Lauren. Are she and Alex like…?"

"Not exactly. She'd like them to be, but Alex has his eye set on somebody else."

"Me?" Keegan looked down at the mat again.

"And you don't seem all that interested," Christy noted.

"It's not that… I mean regardless of if I am or not he's still just… Ugh! Like I wanna just slap him sometimes. He's so damn smug… and he's usually right," Keegan rolled her eyes. "He's just so sure of himself and everything and so like balanced because of it… And I'm not."

"I'm not sure I understand," Christy replied. "If you like him then what's the problem? I know that he likes you."

"That's the problem." Keegan turned her back on the plucky knock out concentrating on the empty seats of the Impact Zone. "He deserves to be with someone who can be like that for him. And I'm not," she sighed. "I just think I'm too selfish to let him be with anyone else."


	8. Chapter 8

~Sorry it's been a while since I've updated. Hopefully the next chapter shouldn't take as long to post. I know it's kinda late now but I would just love to say congratulations to Alex. The X-division title has never looked so good ;) He better get to keep it for a while. As always reviews are more important than air…. So please tell me what you think. Enjoy~

~Chapter 8~

Keegan was glad that she opted for the front row seat on the corner at the very end of the ramp. She had a great view and was able to catch the wrestlers' eye. Many of them even came up to her, like she was the star of the show.

The knockouts were incredible; Taylor Wilde and Awesome Kong had just left the ring, Kong having won the match. Taylor collapsed on the barricade right in front of Keegan. The young actress wondered just how much pain the blonde was faking as she braced herself and slowly made her way up the ramp. She didn't have much time to really consider anything before one of the camera guys approached her.

"Miss Malloy, Mr. Jarrett was hoping we could get you to say a few words to our announcer Mike Tenay. He'll just ask if you're enjoying yourself and maybe who were looking forward to seeing tonight."

"Oh, sure," Keegan smiled.

"Great, it'll take a few minutes so probably after the next segment."

"Okay," she nodded and he hurried over to the announcers' desk.

Suddenly, the huge projection screen was showing Jim Cornett's office. He was sitting at his desk and Kurt Angle was leaning across it shouting at the head of TNA management.

"I want the frontline tonight! That little redneck AJ Styles is done. You either make the match or we'll take care of him mafia style."

"Kurt, back up. First of all AJ already has a match tonight, and secondly barging in here making demands and throwing around threats isn't going to work. You want a fight so bad tonight, you got one; you in the six sided ring with Abyss tonight. You win, you get AJ next week," Cornett fired back.

Kurt nodded to himself. "That's good, that's damn good." He slammed the door on his way out.

The screen went dark again and the crowd roared its approval. Keegan was so caught up in the excitement that she didn't notice Mike Tenay leave the desk and approach her.

"Miss Malloy, TNA really appreciates this endorsement."

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, sure no problem," she assured happily.

"Okay, we're ready," the familiar camera guy signaled.

The Professor raised the microphone and the red light on the camera blinked on.

"We have a very special guest here in the Impact Zone tonight; I'm here with actress Keegan Malloy. Are you enjoying the show so far Miss Malloy?" Tenay held the microphone out for her answer.

"Yeah, I'm having a blast. This is my first TNA event and it certainly hasn't disappointed," she beamed into the camera.

"Well it's far from over; are there any TNA stars you're looking forward to seeing?"

Keegan proudly struck a pose displaying her t-shirt. "The Motor City Machine Guns. I'm super excited for their match."

"Well, you don't have to wait much longer, that match is up next."

The camera guy signaled the end of the interview and Mike Tenay smiled at Keegan.

"Thank you Miss Malloy."

"It was my pleasure," she replied.

Mike blushed slightly. "Enjoy the rest of the show." He headed back to his desk and his broadcast colleague, Don West.

Alex rolled his eyes. He and Chris were waiting at the top of the tunnel and had heard everything.

"Dude, I'm kinda nervous," the oldest of the team revealed. "Like, she's excited for our match. I don't wanna let her down."

Alex looked at Chris incredulously. He opened his mouth to speak, but only shook his head like the words just weren't enough.

"What?" the blonde demanded.

"Can we just focus please," Alex retorted. "I'd rather not let any of the fans who paid to see us down."

"Well yeah, I mean ya know, that goes without saying," Chris answered as Beer Money's music hit and the guys came out the opposite tunnel. James Storm already had his beer in hand.

The familiar noise of bullets riddled through the arena and the crowd's screams grew. The Guns came out of the tunnel, doing their signature pose on the top of the ramp. Chris grinned at Keegan as she stood up clapping. He paused in front of her extending his hand. She took his invitation and was pleasantly surprised when he placed a light kiss to the back of her hand. She smiled at him and he hurried into the ring. Alex shook his head and climbed up the ring steps, not even offering Keegan a smile. She crossed her arms over her chest and scowled at his back. The bell rang beginning the match. Chris and Robert Roode locked up first.

The match went back and forth, each team was able to grab an advantage, but it never lasted long. The Guns tried to keep the pace quick and attempted to use the aerial moves they were known for. But Beer Money had the power game in their favor and kept their opponents grounded. Jackie was at ring side and she made sure to provide any and all assistance for her team. James Storm was lying in the corner thanks to Sabin's hesitation drop kick, but Robert Roode was distracting the ref on the outside. Frustrated, Chris launched himself over the top rope, taking out the Canadian. They landed in a heap in front of the announcers' desk.

Alex knew he had to strike. He jumped in the ring and hurried to meet a wobbly James Storm. The Tennessee Cowboy blocked his attempt at a forearm shot, and caught him with a closed fist to the jaw. Alex stumbled back, but caught Storm with a neck breaker. Storm fell in the middle of the ring and Alex climbed up to the turnbuckle. His plan was quickly thwarted by Jackie. She hopped up on the apron and shoved him to the floor. He fell right in front of Keegan, and she winced at the awkward landing. She was sure he wasn't selling anything when he cursed and grabbed his right ankle. Alex hauled himself up using the barricade. He leaned against it, grimacing when he tested any weight on his ankle.

"Alex?" Keegan placed a light hand on his arm.

He glared at her, but his expression soon softened when he saw the concern swimming in her jade eyes. He gave her a sliver of a smile, and then carefully made his way back into the ring just in time for him to save Chris from the Last Call. He shoved the blonde out of the way and took the blow. The blonde recovered and nailed James Storm with a quick drop kick then set him up for the Cradle Shock. The ref managed to get into position to count the win. Chris rolled out of the ring as soon as the bell sounded. Rubbing the back of his head he searched for Alex. The young brunette was crumpled on the floor by the barricade. The lights of the Impact Zone were swirling above him and he barely registered Chris trying to pull him up.

"You good bro?" Chris whispered.

Alex squeezed his eyes shut for a moment and then allowed Chris to pull him to his feet. He kept most of his weight off his injured ankle falling back into the barricade. He felt someone put their hand on his shoulder, and he turned to see Keegan again.

"Back stage," he told her softly.

She nodded and left her seat. Alex hobbled up the ramp and through the tunnel. He used the wall to support himself as he slowly made his way back to the locker room.

"Mother fucker!" He cursed sitting on the bench.

"What happened?" Chris asked retrieving an ice pack from a small cooler. Most of the locker rooms were equipped with them and a basic first aid kit.

"I fucking landed wrong when Jackie pushed me. I fell right on it and it rolled. It's gotta be sprained," he explained raising his leg up onto the bench. He gingerly rested his ankle on the ice pack.

Keegan knocked before she entered, eyes going wide when she saw Alex. "So much for wrestling being fake," she quipped.

Alex rolled his eyes. "I know you're smarter than that, so your joke was lame."

She smiled, very grateful that their usual banter was back to normal.

"I'm gonna go get a trainer 'Lex. I'll be right back," Chris smirked at Keegan on his way out.

Alex sighed heavily, already hating where this was going. He closed his eyes, but was unable to relax. He could feel Keegan's stare practically burning him.

"What?" He finally snapped his eyes open.

She shook her head looking exceedingly uncomfortable just standing in the middle of the silent room.

"You're not usually this quiet unless you're pissed off. What could I have possibly done now?" Alex asked squirming on the hard wooden bench.

"Are you okay, do you need anything?" She asked stepping closer to him, faltering just before reaching out to him.

"I'll live," he replied. "How was your first Impact?"

Keegan smiled softly, "pretty awesome. You even did well."

"Still think I'm just eye candy?"

She shook her head. "You definitely proved yourself. Next time I come watch you though, can you not get hurt."

"I'll try. So you wanna come back huh?"

"I might be here every week from now on. As long as you don't give me a heart attack at every show," she accused.

"Give you a heart attack?" he repeated. "What are you talking about?"

"You fell right in front of me; I saw your ankle buckle. Just don't do that again okay?" The tiled floor suddenly snagged her attention.

Alex was a bit taken aback. He sat up a little bit more studying the girl in front of him. Her small shoulders fell forward and he could tell she was biting her bottom lip. He'd never seen her be this unsure.

"Kam, I-"

Chris shoved the door open as he and the medic came in. The on call doctor set to work checking over Alex's ankle. He concluded much the same as the young wrestler himself had. He advised Alex to keep it heavily wrapped and take it easy the next few days. He smiled at Keegan, shyly requesting an autograph. She complied, but lacked the exuberance she had earlier with Jay.

Almost a soon s the medic left, Lauren and Jamie made their way into the locker room.

"Baby Bear, what'd he say? Are you okay?" Lauren brushed past Keegan sitting beside Alex.

He shot the actress an apologetic look before forcing a smile for the blonde. "I'm fine Lore, just a sprain."

"Oh no. Chris if you wanna go hang out with Jamie for a while, I can take Alex back to the apartment," Lauren offered tossing her hair over her shoulder.

"Oh… um…" Chris looked from his friend to the girl tucked under his arm. "Alex?"

"Dude, if you wanna go chill with the girls, I can totally score a ride with Keegan. We were gonna go get some food anyway," he answered. "Right Kam?"

"Yeah, we were thinking about that." She smiled when Lauren's whole face fell.

"Are you sure you should Alex? I mean you should probably rest," the beautiful blonde argued.

"I'll be fine. Besides it doesn't hurt right now. We'll go grab a quick bite then go right home. Don't worry Lore, Keegan will take care of me," Alex assured with a smile.

Lauren forced a bright look onto her face. "I'm sure she will." She got up and headed out the door. "Jame, let me know what you wanna do 'kay."

The smaller member of the beautiful people shook her head. "Well, if you guys wanna go get food, I guess I'm down."

Alex fixed his tag partner with an expectant look and raised his eye brows.

"Um…" Chris began, rubbing the back of his neck, "Actually Jamie I was wondering if you wanted to maybe get something with me… Just me?"

Jamie's smile beamed like a one hundred watt bulb. "Sounds great. Oh, um, do you guys mind?"

"Absolutely not," Alex said immediately. Keegan just smiled at the girl.

"Awesome. I'll be in the knockouts locker room. Come get me when you're ready," Jamie pecked Chris' cheek and left.

"Finally!" Alex celebrated.

"Shut up!" Chris retorted. "Could you have been any more obvious?"

"Yes I could have. Just be thankful it didn't come to that."

"Just for that you're not getting your card. I'm gonna take a shower," Chris grabbed his bag and headed out.

Alex chuckled. "So, about this dinner that I just sprung on you… you didn't have other plans did you?"

Keegan smiled. "I told you that I don't do plans, however, dinner does sound nice."

"Great," he grinned at her. "Ah… let me go grab a shower. You can hide out in here if you want to, I'll be right back."

"You sure you can manage a shower?" She asked.

"Carefully. And if all else fails, Chris is down there so I won't drown."

She smirked, "something I should know about you two?"

"Ha ha. I know we're sexy bitches, but we're not sexin' it up together." Alex grabbed his back pack and limped out the door.

"Just don't drop the soap," she called after him.

Alex leaned back in and flipped her off. She laughed at him and settled onto the bench with her black berry. Keegan called Britt and gave her the run down. The assistant reminded her she had an early call time at the studio in the morning. Keegan noted it, and when her phone beeped with another call she quickly hung up on her assistant.

"Hey," she greeted unable to stop her smile.

"Hello baby doll," Merrick's smooth accent all but kissed her ears. "Where are you? I know two very lonely boys who would love to see you."

"Keegs, where you at?" Chase Davenport hollered into the phone.

"I'm hanging out. I went to see Impact."

"What?" Merrick's dignified voice came back over the line. "Where are you?"

"I'm at Universal Studios. I went to the TNA taping."

"What's TNA?"

"Total Nonstop Action-"

"Are you doing porn?" Merrick squawked.

"No dumbass. It's wrestling. I'm here to see Alex."

"Who?"

"Alex Shelley, the brunette I introduced you to at Addiction last week."

"Doesn't ring a bell. When are you coming out? We're at Wonderland and we're going to Addiction as soon as the twins call. It's going to be awesome. Chase has some new stuff you've got to try."

Keegan bit her bottom lip and raked her hand through her bangs. "Alex and I are going to dinner. He hurt his ankle and we're probably going back to his place when we're done."

"Bring him along," Merrick determined.

"No. He's not into that stuff. Listen; let me call you back in a little bit. Maybe I can swing going back to my house and then you guys can hit me up."

"Mmm, no can do baby doll. The twins have a concert in New York tomorrow and I'm heading out with them. You gotta come to us."

"You're at Wonderland now?" Keegan began to chew on her index finger nail. "I'll be there in a half hour. We'll make a detour before dinner."

"You better hurry up. We're outta here as soon as the twins call," Merrick replied.

"Just fucking wait for me!"

Alex and Chris entered the locker room dressed in street clothes and ready to head out. They raised matching brows at the outburst they walked in on.

"I'll text you. Wait for me." Keegan ended the call. She smiled at Alex, but he knew it was an artificial gesture.

"Well, I have a beautiful girl to go find," Chris shouldered his duffel, "you two kids have fun. Call me if you need me."

Keegan smiled at him as he left and turned to Alex. He waved Chris off, but quickly narrowed brown eyes at the actress.

"So, everything okay?" He asked.

"Yeah," she chirped. "You ready to go?"

"I guess so. Where did you wanna go eat?" Alex got a few things out of a locker and put them in his bag.

"Um… why don't we order something from Le Rouge, and take it back to my place," she suggested. "I don't think you really wanna go out with your ankle."

Alex thought for a moment. "Yeah that does sound good. I'll call Chris later and tell him the apartment is free for him and Jamie."

"Great. There should be a limo waiting out front. Let's go." She headed out of the locker room.

"A limo?" Alex followed her slowly. "Damn. You do know how ride in style, I'll give ya that Kam"

She smirked at him, "I know how to do a lot of things in style Mr. Shelley."

He indiscreetly looked her up and down with a wolfish smile. "I bet you do."

~xxx~

Keegan had called ahead and ordered dinner from the one of the trendiest restraints in Orlando. She informed the driver of their stop, and quickly added that he should go Wonderland first. The gentleman simply nodded at the instruction.

"Why?" Alex asked with tapered eyes.

"I just have to pick something up. The twins are going out of town tomorrow and I have to get something from them," she replied looking above his head, out the back window of the sleek black car.

"What is it?" He questioned.

"Oh, um… just something for later."

"What?"

"It's really none of your business," she retorted. "It'll take two minutes."

"You can just stay with them then. I'll go home, it's not a big deal," he ripped his gaze away from her and let it stare out the tinted window.

"No," she answered instantly. She hesitated before speaking again. "We ordered dinner, it'll be ready soon."

Alex sighed, continuing to stare out at the passing scenery. "We can do it another time."

Keegan rolled her eyes and emitted a sigh that sounded way more tired than Alex's. "I want to have dinner with you. Why are you being so difficult?"

"I'm not stupid Keegan." He finally looked at her. "Gemini doesn't go out unless there's an assortment of _goodies_ to be had."

The corners of her mouth twitched in a smirk that held no amusement. She looked away this time, staring out the back window again at the black sky. "I'll wait until you're gone if you want."

"I don't want you to do it at all."

"Alex… I've been taking pills since I was 14. I've never worried about who was around or who might not like it. I've gone to the set of movies on Oxys and Adderall." Although Keegan didn't meet his eyes while she spoke he knew it wasn't out of shame. "Please meet me half way on this."

Alex closed his eyes and tried to rationalize the request. He decided that he was too tired and his ankle had begun to throb. "Whatever, just hurry up. I won't eat cold food."

Keegan would have smiled, she appreciated the effort, but something in the pit of her stomach stopped her from being as happy as she usually was when she got her way. The door of the limo opened and she hurried into the bar.

She easily spotted her friends at their self appointed booth at the back of the room. She slipped through the awed onlookers greeting the table with a bright counterfeit grin. "Hi."

Sage and Poe's striking blue eyes were huge and clouded when they turned on her. Chase's brown eyes were just as dull, and he seemed to be having trouble keeping them open. Merrick smirked at the actress. His own hazel eyes were glassy, and the golden hue around his pupil seemed to be taking up their entirety.

"Baby doll you made it," his voice sounded like it was stuck in molasses. "You should do a shot with us."

Keegan shook her head. "I'll pass this time; just give me whatever Chase has. Alex is waiting in the car."

"Oh, lover boy too good to come in is he?" Sage accused.

"Maybe Keegs is ashamed of us," Poe smirked, "too bad." He produced a little plastic bag with two tiny peach colored pills, three slightly larger white circular ones, and four oblong custard colored tablets.

Keegan eyed them like they were something dangerously exciting. Her heart jerked inside her rib cage. She glanced at Merrick, he was smirking as if he could tell the effect the pills had on her.

"The little ones are from Griffin." Chase spoke up. Keegan's eyes widened, but the young billionaire didn't allow an interruption. "They're doubled. Only take one at time if you're mixing them with anything. And don't take any Ativan with them."

Keegan nodded, "what about the Adderall I'm supposed to take in the morning? Will it affect those?"

"As long as you don't take both of them you should be golden," Chase answered. "Anyone asks you did not get these from me."

"Of course, I've never even heard of Griffin."

"Exactly."

"For the love of God Chase, don't act as if he's some slum lord. We don't associate with those types," Merrick chastised. "Besides, Keegan isn't stupid."

"No, but I am in a hurry. So can I just have them?" She held her hand out expectantly.

"Just like that?" Poe raised a perfectly arched brow. "My, my, you must be in a hurry."

"She can't keep lover boy waiting for too long," Sage was inspecting her manicured nails in the low light. "He apparently gets precedent over us now. I mean we've only been here for her since day one."

"Guys it's not like that," Keegan sighed throwing a longing glance at the exit. "We've ordered dinner and I don't want it to get cold."

Sage and Poe shared a look of abject disgust. "He's already tightening your leash baby doll," the beautiful black haired boy said.

The young actress scoffed. "Hardly. No one will _ever _tame me. Now, if you don't mind I do have to be going."

"Give them to her," Merrick ordered.

"Thank-you," she snatched the bag from Poe. "Later."

She turned on her heel and flounced out of Wonderland. The remainder of the group all shook their head. Sage took up her shot glass and threw the clear liquid back. Poe followed his twin's lead, but included one of the custard colored pills. Chase poured himself another drink from the bottle residing on their table. He offered to pour Merrick another as well, and he happily agreed.

"How long do you think this little tryst is going to last?" Poe giggled resting his boney elbows on the table.

"I give it a few weeks at most," Sage rolled her eyes. "She'll be back. Probably devastated and in need of some self medicating," she smirked at the thought.

"She'll be back. She hasn't been able to hold on to anyone yet," Chase added. "Besides, she'll miss me," he winked at Gemini.

The twins wrinkled their noses, but Sage kept hold of her brother's gaze and a pair of matching leers slid across their porcelain features.

"That's only if you're as good as you like to think you are darling," Poe began.

"Mmm," Sage purred, "why don't you let us be the judge of that?" She leaned over running her hand up Chase's muscular chest.

"It only seems logical when you think about it," Poe's hand began to skate up the boy's leg.

Chase Davenport tossed his head back, moaning into the kiss that Sage Whitlock had seared onto him, while her twin went for his expensive gold Italian belt buckle.

Keegan made sure the bag was tucked securely inside her pocket before she slid into the back seat of the limo. Alex was on his cell phone assuring Chris he was fine and their apartment would be empty for the night. A minute later he ended the call and fixed Keegan with a hard look.

"Got what you came for?" He asked.

"Yes. And our food should be ready when we get there," she replied and then told the driver to continue on to Le Rouge.


	9. Chapter 9

~So here it is; the next chapter guys. Hope you like it, as always please let me know what you think. Reviews are awesome, so please review… they make my day :) Thanks for all the support so far ~

~Chapter 9~

Soft classical music greeted Alex as he slowly made his way up to Keegan's front door. He had to wait for her to punch in the security code then he settled himself down on the plush red sofa in the middle of the living room, while the limo driver carried the bags inside. Alex wondered if Keegan's coy smile and eye bat combo was even legal in Florida when the gentleman left the house blushing. He just shook his head muttering it probably wasn't legal to unleash it on unsuspecting victims anywhere in the country.

He heard Keegan opening cabinets in the kitchen and he gingerly limped out to help. She was humming along to the melody when he sat himself in one of the chairs at the island, resting his foot on the next one in line. He watched her a moment while she inspected the contents of her refrigerator.

"Do you always leave music on when you're not here?" He finally asked her.

She carried over a bottle of juice and placed it on the island beside two glasses. "It's connected up in my room, Salinger plays it. He likes Tchaikovsky."

"The cat likes classical Russian composers?" Alex asked with raised eye brows.

"Well not all of them. He prefers the German greats; Bach and Beethoven mostly. But his favorite is Tchaikovsky, he plays him more than the others," Keegan answered putting a plate in front of him.

"Salinger? The gray fluff ball that thinks it's a cat, he plays them?"

"Yes. My I-pod is connected up in my room, the speakers from my stereo are all around the house and he pushes the button with his paw. I leave it on all the time for him."

"How does he switch the songs?" Alex challenged.

"He uses the touch remote," she supplied immediately.

The brunette fell against the back of his chair like the words knocked him over. "I don't believe it."

Keegan stopped mid bite. "I'll show you when we go up to my room."

Alex took up his fork and began to eat his dinner. "This is really good," he commented on the salmon.

"Of course. You've never been to Le Rouge?" Keegan inquired.

"Never got around to it," he replied stabbing at his asparagus.

"The duck is excellent there, duck is all about preparation."

"Oh. Yeah," he nodded. "What did you get?"

"It's a pan seared quail breast in a red wine reduction and a bit of beet salad. It's quite good, they seasoned it with fennel. Do you want to try some?"

"Quail? That's like a chicken right?"

She chuckled. "Not exactly, but it is a bird. It's good, this isn't gamey at all. Some places don't make it as well." She held her fork out to him.

He accepted her offer, pleasantly surprised when she was right. "That is good. Wow. Here," he presented her some off his plate.

She nodded, "that salmon is perfect."

"Ya know, I've eaten a lot of things, especially in Japan, but I don't think I've ever eaten quail," Alex commented.

"Bird's Nest soup is divine," Keegan smiled. "I forget what it's called in Japanese."

"I'm not sure, but it is good. Where else have you been?"

She sipped some of her juice before she answered, "I've been all over Europe. London is amazing, so are all the cities in Germany. I love Germany; the food there is wicked good. Um… Ireland, wow. It felt like I was home when I went to Ireland."

"Well aren't you Irish? I mean Keegan Malloy sounds pretty Irish to me, not to mention that you look pretty Irish."

She smiled. "Yes I'm quite Irish. Nearly 75 percent actually, and then 25 percent German. What about you?"

"I'm not sure. I'm a bunch of different things, mostly western European I think, definitely some Irish in there. I've never really done the research to be sure though."

They continued to talk through dinner. Keegan left the plates to be washed in the sink. She took her hair down shaking out the thick scarlet strands. Alex watched as she slowly transformed from the star everyone expected her to be, to the girl he'd been catching glimpses of for the past couple weeks. She raked her tresses back from her face, stopping when she caught Alex staring.

"What?" She demanded.

He shook his head, "just looking."

She squinted at him. "I'm going to get changed. I'll be right back."

Alex got up carefully, leaning on the counter top.

"Do you want something for that ankle?" Keegan asked.

"Three Tylenol would be awesome."

"Tylenol? Um… Let me see." Keegan headed upstairs to her room while Alex gimped over to the couch.

She glanced at the bathroom as she passed by, rolling her eyes. As soon as she was in her room she pulled off her Motor City Machine Gun t-shirt tossing it on her bed. Salinger picked his head up glancing at the offending article that had disturbed his nap. He yawned for his efforts, then snuggled back down to resume his slumber. Keegan beamed at him pulling open her second dresser drawer she slipped on her favorite black tank top, running her fingers over the sniper heart symbol in the middle. She dug the plastic bag out of her pocket and put it on the dresser. The jeans were the next to go; she replaced them with a pair of pale pink sweat pants. She quickly ran a brush through her hair, stealing looks at the different colored pills in the bag. She took out two of the tiny white circular ones. With a sigh, she popped one into her mouth swallowing it and her promise dry, she went downstairs to Alex.

He was resting on the couch, using the throw pillows to prop up his ankle. He watched as Keegan breezed past into the kitchen, she returned a moment later with his glass of juice.

"Kill Hannah," Alex read her tank top. "What did she ever do to you?"

Keegan smirked. "It's a band. One of my favorite bands actually."

"They're from Chicago; the lead singer is Mat Devine and Kill Hannah is a reference to an old girlfriend," Alex replied.

"You know them?"

"You're surprised?"

She nodded, "impressed. Here, I didn't have any Tylenol but this will help." She held out the glass and the medicine.

"What is it?" He asked sitting up more.

"Just a pain killer."

Alex eyed her very wearily, he didn't reach for anything.

"What? You think I'm going to kill you? Just take it, it'll help you relax and maybe get some sleep tonight."

"It's not that bad, I don't really need it."

Keegan put the pill down beside the glass on the ocher stained table that had been converted from an antique door. Glowering at him she stormed into the kitchen. Alex winced when the cupboard slammed; he glanced at the pill waiting on the stand. He dropped his head back on the arm of the couch with a groan. He sensed eyes watching him a second later. Keegan was standing at the end of the couch holding a glass of red wine.

"Apparently I drive you to drink," Alex quipped.

She rolled her eyes, "you'd drive the pope to drink."

"He does already; wine is the blood of Christ."

"Only if you believe that."

"And what do you believe?" He wondered.

Keegan indulged in another sip then sat down tucking her legs up, making sure Alex's ankle wasn't disturbed. "I believe that everyone has to believe in something. Whatever deity they pray to; Jesus Christ, Allah, Nyx, or the spirits of the earth, it's all about a person's faith. Who is anybody to say that anybody else is wrong? No one knows everything."

Alex wasn't expecting that, as usual she'd left him a bit stunned. "Nyx? Spirits of the earth?"

"She was the Egyptian Goddess of night." she informed. "She proclaimed that cats were highly spiritual and those who worshiped her also worshiped cats. What do you believe in?"

"I feel the same way as you. I don't care who or what anyone else wants to have faith in."

"When I die, I wanna come back as a cat."

He chuckled. "I can see that. You kinda remind me of a cat now."

Keegan smirked at him over her glass. "They were destroyed ya know. People thought they were evil and black magic surrounded them."

"People were also very superstitious."

She shrugged. "It's strange though. They're so revered in one culture and then so hated. Makes you really think."

"Yeah I guess you're right… huh."

"You really aren't going to take that?"

Alex followed her gaze to the table and the tablet still laying on it. He sighed heavily. "I appreciate it, but I don't really wanna go there. It's just… it's easy to over use them ya know."

"Yeah, I do know," she shot back instantly getting to her feet.

"Aww, Keegan I didn't mean it like that," he called after her as she went into the kitchen.

She ignored him, but returned a few minutes later with a full glass of wine. "I kinda love that I basically have to goad you, the professional wrestler, into taking something for your pain. I mean shouldn't you have a doctor on speed dial."

"You get used to it after a while. If it's not life or career threatening you just deal."

"The motto of my life," she chortled.

Alex half smirked at her. "That's right. You're the martyr of this generation aren't you?"

"That's right baby. I'm going to be the next James Dean."

"Only female," the brunette pointed out.

"Actually I was thinking about getting the operation." She rolled her eyes. "How does anyone willingly hang out with you?"

"You tell me."

Keegan shook her head. "So if I offered you a pillow and a blanket would you be kind enough to watch a movie with me?"

"I'll even watch one with you if you don't get me the blanket," he replied.

She swallowed the remainder of her wine then carried the glass into the kitchen. Before going back to the couch she grabbed a quilt from the hall closet and then picked out a DVD from the shelves on the wall by the fireplace. She put it in the player and settled down on her previous cushion near Alex's feet.

"What are we watching?" The young X-division star inquired.

"From Here to Eternity," she answered skipping directly to the opening scenes of the black and white classic.

"When was this made?" Alex crinkled his nose.

"1953," she frowned at his reaction. "It is a great film. If you're not going to give it a chance, leave now."

"I'm gonna, jeez. But would it kill you to pick something in color?" Alex grumped moving farther down into the plush cushions.

Keegan rolled her eyes, "you're hopeless."

"So I've been told," he smirked at her.

~xxx~

Alex groaned at the crick in his neck. He gingerly lifted his head off the arm of the couch and rubbed at his eyes. The television was stuck on the main DVD menu and the movie came rushing back to him. Keegan was right, it had been pretty good. Alex glanced down at the other end of the couch and had to smile. The tiny actress was curled up using her arm as a pillow with the blanket she and Alex had been sharing tugged up to her shoulder. He struggled to sit up without disturbing her, carefully swinging his leg above her. He noticed the little white pill was not on the table, and he glanced back at Keegan with a sinking feeling. He shook his head then stood up charily keeping weight off his ankle. He limped into her kitchen.

Alex pulled open a cabinet, finding only plates and bowls he went to the next one. This time he was successful and grabbed a glass. Just as he reached for the faucet Salinger leapt onto the counter. Alex jumped slightly then smirked at the true owner of the house. The gray fluff ball balanced precariously on the edge of the sink; fascinated by the stream of water.

"You're gonna fall," Alex warned.

The cat reached his paw in and batted at the water wrenching it back when it got wet. He shook it vigorously, splashing some at Alex.

"Hey," he laughed, Salinger jumped down flicked his tail up in the air and sauntered away. "You seriously found the right owner."

Alex headed back into the living room, Keegan hadn't moved. The clock on the DVD player read 3:26; he decided that he should probably get her into bed.

"Kam," he shook her shoulder gently "hey."

She didn't move, didn't even stir. She was like the sleeping dead.

"Keegan," he tried again. "C'mon wake up."

Again he got no response. Alex didn't want to give in to the little dose of panic that was beginning to gnaw at his stomach. He shook her harder.

"Keegan." He took to gently tapping her cheek hoping to rouse her. "C'mon Kam, please don't do this to me."

Alex dug in his pockets for his cell phone, he had no idea who to call or what to tell them, but thankfully just before he pushed the speed dial button for Chris, Keegan's eyes fluttered open.

"What are you doing?" She asked groggily.

"Having a heart attack," he replied sliding his phone closed. "How many of those did you fucking take?"

She snuggled deeper into the blanket. "Mmm, sleepy. Night Trix," she yawned for good measure.

Alex scrunched his brows, "silly rabbit," he quipped. "No, wait, why don't you get up and go to bed?"

But it was too late; Keegan had already fallen back into her heavy slumber. Alex sighed and carefully maneuvered a throw pillow under her head. He found another blanket in the closet and parked himself in her huge armchair gratefully settling his foot onto the ottoman. He heard her sigh and then she shifted giving him her back. He shook his head and closed his eyes with a yawn.

~xxx~

The next time Alex woke it was to pounding on the front door. He blearily scowled and cursed the intrusion. Keegan was dead to the world so he clambered up and answered it. Britt's jaw was set and she looked ready to scream, but her words died when she saw it was Alex.

"What are you doing here?" She barked and shoved passed him. "Great. Of course she's still sleeping."

"Good morning to you too," the tired brunette sulked.

"Sorry," Britt replied sheepishly. "We're just late as usual and she's not even awake yet. She's got a meeting with Benjamin Davenport in a half hour, we're never gonna make it."

"Leave her to me. I'll get her up if you go make coffee." Alex offered.

Britt looked at him skeptically. "Um… I don't know. She's pretty nasty when she wakes up."

"Dude, look what I do for a living. I got this," he assured.

Britt still seemed unconvinced but she went to the kitchen. Alex sat down on the expensive looking antique table and studied the girl on the couch for a moment. He brushed a lock of ruby hair off her forehead and then tugged gently on the strand. Keegan swatted at him and murmured a curse at him. He smiled and tapped the end of the nose; it wrinkled and she rolled away from him. He leaned down and blew in her ear then promptly licked her cheek. Keegan shot up with a yelp and nearly sent Alex to the floor.

"What the fuck are you doing?!" She demanded furiously wiping off her face.

Alex didn't even try to hide his laughter. He was nearly in tears when Britt came rushing into the living room. Keegan was lobbing hand grenades in her looks toward the young wrestler and Britt knew this wasn't going to end well.

"You're an asshole," Keegan seethed throwing the blanket off of her. "Get out."

"What?" Alex's amusement toned down. "Come on it was a joke, I as just trying to wake you up."

"By licking me? Not only is that disgusting but it's stupid. And what the fuck do I need to be awake for anyway? God when I sleep just leave me alone."

"Keegan you have a meeting at the studio in a half hour," Britt reminded.

"What?!" The young actress turned viciously on her assistant. "How the hell did you even get in here?"

"I let her in," Alex answered. He managed to keep his shock at her acrid attitude hidden but suddenly a hint of fear was creeping up his spine.

"I knocked and I called your phone," Britt explained. "We're late Keegan you should hurry up and-"

"Since when do you give the orders?" She spat. "I'm not going to the damn meeting. Call Benjamin and tell him that if he wants me to do his movie he better not insult me by demanding ridiculous meetings. Who the fuck else is he going to hire? Please… Keegan Malloy is the most wanted actress in all of Hollywood. I'll go to another studio that doesn't schedule meetings at the ass crack of dawn."

"But his is a very valuable part for you. It'll probably be the breakout dramatic role you've been waiting for," Britt reasoned.

"Well then tell him we need to reschedule. Honestly what do I pay you for?" Keegan stomped up the stairs.

Britt rolled her eyes and heaved a sigh. She stormed into the kitchen. Alex winced when he heard Keegan's door slam. He headed after Britt.

"So, apparently she's not a morning person," he noted.

"Lucky me," the assistant jested.

"Is she always like that in the mornings?"

"Depends. She didn't throw anything this morning so it went pretty well."

Alex's chestnut brown eyes widened. "I didn't mean to piss her off. It was just a joke."

"It's not you. She reacts badly to anyone waking her up. I think it's because she just doesn't sleep that much. Merrick climbed into bed with her one day; I thought she was going to die. She had such a panic attack I almost called 9-1-1. And she nearly scratched Merrick's eyes out."

Alex felt a little relief, but he still wondered why she would over-react like that. He left Britt to somehow appease Benjamin Davenport and keep Keegan's part, neither of which looked very promising. He ascended the stairs, slowly, and finally knocked on Keegan's bedroom door, not surprised when she didn't answer. He let himself in but stopped short. Keegan didn't even look up as she threw back another pill.

"Jesus, are you ever sober?" He accused.

She flipped him off. "This is prescribed by my actual doctor. If you must know it's Adderall." She threw the orange vile at him. "My name is on the label."

"And you take this every morning?" He inquired reading the directions.

"When I sleep I take it to wake myself up. Civilized people don't lick other people to get them up."

"It worked though," he retorted giving the bottle back to her. "Look I'm sorry. It was just a joke. I didn't know you'd hate it so much."

"Whatever." She turned away from him and busied herself with putting the bottle back in her drawer.

"You're really not going to try to make that meeting?" Alex broached. "Late is better than blowing it off completely."

Keegan kept quiet for a second. "It's better this way. That part isn't really my type anyway."

Alex was taken a back. "Why?"

"It's a very dramatic story, and the girl I would play is the central character. People see me as the sex kitten. They wouldn't be able to see me as anything else," she explained training her eyes down.

"Or maybe you can't see yourself as anything else," Alex offered.

Her head jerked up to stare at him for a moment. Her eyes flashed something but she didn't allow it to stay long before she dropped her gaze again.

"Isn't that what being an actress is all about?" Alex asked softly. "You can make people see you as anything if you're good enough."

Keegan shook her head and started away from him. He spun her around by the shoulder and made her look at him.

"You are good enough Kam," he guarantied her.

She bit her bottom lip, slumping her gaze to the carpet. Alex tucked his index finger under her chin bringing it back to him. "You really are Kam. You've got amazing talent, show people. Prove to them all that you're more than just eye candy. Let your talent speak for itself."

"You really think I can?" She wondered.

"Absolutely."

A knock sounded on the open door and Britt stepped inside the master bedroom. "Keegan, Mr. Davenport says you need to get there. I told him that you were having car trouble. Please get ready. This is a great opportunity and if you don't make this meeting you're gonna lose it."

Keegan closed her eyes for a second. She seemed to gather herself, giving Alex her warm worn sweater smile.

"Give me an hour and we'll go."


	10. Chapter 10

~Sorry for the long wait guys. School's killing me. Ugh! I hope this makes up for the 8 years in between in chapters. As usual I don't own any of the wrestlers. I hope you like it. Please, please, please review & let me know what you think. Thanks~

~Chapter 10~ 

Alex was lounging on his couch reading the book that Jamie had lent to Chris. The blonde had told Alex it was good, but the younger brunette didn't expect it to be this addicting. He wasn't even done with the first book, but couldn't wait to read the next three novels documenting the forbidden love between the girl and the vampire. When his cell phone rang he almost ignored it, but the caller I.D. was too enticing.

He dog-eared the page then accepted the call. "Hey, damn I was beginning to think I'd never hear from you again."

She giggled softly, "I am busy Alex. I can't base my life around phone calls to you."

"Oh well pardon me," he chuckled stretching. "How'd rehearsal go?"

"Um… pretty good. They finally found a male lead to cast, so we'll have to do press photos soon."

"Well don't sound so happy," he teased. "What do you not like the guy?"

"Oh no, Jackson's great. I just haven't had a good day," she sighed.

"Uh oh. What's wrong Kam?"

"It's just not a good day for me. What are you doing tonight?"

"Ah… probably nothing. Chris is hanging with Jamie."

"Come to Addiction with me," she had that seductive velvet quality to her voice.

"Ya know, why don't you just come over here and we'll stay in tonight," he suggested but braced himself for the rejection.

"I just can't do that tonight Alex. I'm going to Addiction; you can come if you want. It's all up to you," Keegan replied with a near desperation in her voice.

"What's the matter?"

"It doesn't matter. I'll be at Addiction, do what you want." She terminated the call.

"Keegan," he tried, but she was gone. "Ugh!"

Alex checked the clock on his phone and was surprised to find it was nearly 8:00. He tossed it onto the couch and hurried into the shower.

~xxx~

Alex drove by Jamie's place hoping to recruit some back up. She buzzed him in and he found that she and Chris were sitting down to dinner.

"Hey 'Lex," she smiled. "Help yourself to some lo mein."

"Um… thanks. Sorry to barge in here on you guys."

"It's good bro," Chris replied. "We got extra egg rolls too," he pointed to the opaque white packet.

Alex argued that he wasn't very hungry, but Jamie pushed a plate in front of him anyway.

"So what's up?" the pretty blonde smiled picking up her chop sticks.

"Well, I was kinda hoping you guys would come to Addiction with me," he pushed the food around on his plate. "Keegan's going and she asked me to go. I don't know, I think there's something wrong."

"What do you mean? Something's wrong with Keegan?" Chris inquired.

"She's had a bad day and I kinda wanna just go and keep an eye on her," Alex confessed. "Just so she doesn't do anything crazy."

"Isn't that like her calling card though?" Jamie asked.

Alex frowned at her. "She likes to have fun, why begrudge her that?"

"Sorry," the knockout looked down. "I didn't mean to be mean."

"It's fine," he sighed. He smiled in spite of himself, "she is a firecracker."

"Hence your ongoing interest," Chris smirked.

"Shut up!" Alex retorted.

Jamie giggled and accepted the invitation to the club. The video she and Chris had rented would have to be watched later. Alex and Chris waited on the couch flipping through channels while Jamie went into her bedroom to get ready. The boys wondered just what took girls so long. Chris thought that Jamie looked great in her t-shirt and jeans, but it just wasn't acceptable to go clubbing in. After a while she came out in a pair of tight black pants and a red tube top with strips of material winding around her well toned middle. Her blonde and black hair had been straightened, the pieces falling just past her shoulders.

"Ready guys?" She asked putting a few essentials in her small black clutch.

"Finally," Chris heaved, but the remainder of the complaint died on his lips once he looked at her. "Wow."

She smiled at him and tucked some of her hair behind her ear.

"Close your mouth dude, you'll start catching flies," Alex quipped.

Jamie chuckled and slipped into her jacket. The boys followed her out, waiting while she locked the door.

"Whose car are we taking?" She asked when they were in the elevator.

The boys shrugged, and then Chris volunteered his services.

~xxx~

By the time the three wrestlers arrived the bar was full and the dance floor was crowded. There was a heavy bass line pounding throughout the club and the lights were swirling colors everywhere. Alex scanned the mass but came up empty. He figured she was back in VIP. He leaned in to tell Chris that he was going to go look for her; the older machine gun nodded and motioned to the dance floor. Holding tightly to Jamie's hand he led her out there and Alex headed to the back. He stopped at the velvet curtain, Emmett wasn't there. He looked around before peeking into the small room. It was empty. He made his way to the bar grabbing a beer and asking the bar back if Keegan had been in yet.

"I haven't seen her, it is still kinda early for her though," he replied.

Alex nodded and went to the bathroom for a minute of quiet. He pulled out his cell phone and sent her a text message.

_Hey, where you at?_

He swallowed some of his beer and went out to claim a table. He saw Chris and Jamie pressed closely against each other. He caught Chris' eye and pointed out the table; his tag partner nodded. Alex watched the couples and sipped his beer. He was alone for the first few songs, but Chris and Jamie eventually tore themselves away from the music and joined him.

"She on her way?" The Michigan blonde inquired.

"Supposedly. I texted her so…" He sipped his drink.

Suddenly a commotion erupted near the door and the patrons charged towards it. Alex finished off his drink and got up. He maneuvered his way through the throng of bodies and waited back by the VIP curtain.

Keegan strutted past the swarm smirking and waving coyly. Emmett and another huge body guard made sure to stay close beside her. Alex marveled at the way she owned the room. It was hard to imagine this woman ever being desperate. She stopped at the bar, barely waiting a minute before accepting her drink, and then she finally saw Alex. He couldn't be sure, but he thought he noticed her sigh in relief. He offered her a lopsided smile; earning one of her genuine ones in return. She sauntered her way over to him.

"You came," she sucked on the tiny dark bar straw in her glass.

"Yeah. You sounded upset on the phone so I came down to see if I could help."

Those soft jade eyes seemed to mist over for a moment; she brushed past him and went behind the velvet curtain. Alex shook his head but followed her. Keegan took a seat on the second couch so she could watch the door. She kept the glass in her hand frequently nipping at the cocktail inside.

"So…" Alex glanced around the decorated room. It hadn't changed since the last time he'd been there. "You're not gonna tell me what's wrong are you?"

Keegan's lips twitched as she fought to put a smile on her face. "What does it matter? I'm here now and you came so let's just have a good time. I just wanna forget today and have fun."

Alex nodded despite wanting to push for an answer. He noticed her drink was empty already and although he knew he shouldn't he offered to get her another one.

"Jack and coke," she replied.

"Damn, you have had a bad day."

"Yeah, the 27th is never good," there was undeniable gloom in her voice. It made Alex shudder to think about what must have occurred to warrant the look that passed over pretty face.

He was thankful he'd dropped the subject; he promptly went to the bar to get her drink, getting himself another beer as well. He met Chris waiting for his own beverages and explained the situation. The blonde leered at him and told him if he could manage to come out he should join the rest of the peons. Alex rolled his brown eyes, but he told Chris to come back and say hello.

"Am I allowed?" He asked in a child's delight.

His tag partner shrugged. "Why not, go get Jamie and come on back."

"Awesome," Chris beamed practically running back to the table.

Alex was able to snag the bar tender and placed his order. By the time he received his drinks Chris and Jamie had appeared. He chuckled and they went back to the curtain.

"Who are they?" Emmett stiffened.

"My best friend and his girl, they're cool," Alex replied. "Keegan knows them."

Emmett held the drape opened, but he squeezed in behind them. Keegan was talking on her black berry. Her whole face lit up when she saw who had come in, and she held up her finger.

"Yeah, it's fine whenever you get here. See if he'll come and tell him that I want some of Griffin's stuff." Keegan ended the call a minute later. "Chris… Velvet. I'm sorry I don't remember your real name."

"It's okay, Jamie," she smiled.

"Right, I knew that. What's up?" She took the drink Alex placed in front of her. "Emmett it's fine. They're okay."

The body guard affirmed brusquely and resumed his post. Keegan motioned for everyone to sit down and a pleasant conversation began to unfold throughout the quartet. Alex was thankful that Chris and Jamie seemed to distract Keegan from consuming her drink as quickly as she had the first one. But, when Merrick and Chase Davenport walked through the curtain disappointment crashed over him.

"Wow Keegs, you must've gotten awfully lonely waiting for us." Merrick's arrogant tone diluted the playful sarcasm of the statement. "None of you look very familiar."

Chris and Jamie looked around unsurely, Alex's jaw clenched, and he moved to the very edge of his seat. Keegan narrowed her eyes at Merrick.

"You remember Alex Shelley. I introduced you to him a few weeks ago. This is his friend Chris Sabin and Jamie…." Keegan looked at her like she should supply her last name.

"Szantyr."

"Charmed." Merrick replied indignantly. "Well my dear, if you would like to meet your new friends later Chase and I have something for you."

Keegan looked at the wrestlers guiltily. "I'll catch up with you guys in bit."

"Oh, sure," Jamie got up quickly and waited for the boys to do the same.

"Later," Chris took her hand and glanced at Alex.

"I'm staying. I'll see you guys in a while," he stated unflinchingly.

Merrick's dark eyes narrowed at the young wrestler. "Perhaps it'd be better if you went with your friends. We're just going to talk business, it would probably bore you."

"Actually I find the film industry fascinating. I'm sure I could keep up."

Chase laughed and flopped himself down on the empty couch. "Ah hell, let him stay. He's been hanging around Keegs long enough to know what goes on. As long he doesn't have a problem with it then I'm good."

"I do have a problem with it. I wish she wouldn't do it at all, but I can't stop her. I can be here to pick up the pieces that you and the twins seem to be so good at leaving behind though."

Keegan stepped in between the two couches. She was pale, it looked like the long lack of sleep was finally catching up with her. "If the two of you wanna argue like little boys on the playground then do so outside. I can't deal with all this right now."

She threw back the remainder of her drink and turned imploringly to Alex. "Please go get me another one."

He tried to read her ambiguous green eyes; he wanted to beg her like she was begging him. He could see the strain in them, saw the tension in her whole body, but all he could do was go and get her another Jack and coke. He took her glass; their fingers brushed against each others and she graced him with one of her rare authentic smiles. It was small and meant only for Alex. He sighed; with a shake of his head he went to get her drink.

The bar was even more crowded and unlike Keegan Alex had to wait for the bar tender. He ordered her drink but skipped himself this round. He spotted Chris and Jamie at the table. His partner shot him a questioning look and Alex simply shrugged. He went back to the VIP room. He nodded at Emmett; the mountain of a man clapped a large hand on Alex's shoulder.

"Are you sticking around for a while?" He inquired.

"That depends on Keegan, but probably."

Emmett bobbed his head. "Good. You're the only one that really seems to care about her. The vultures only come around for the spotlight and the drugs. Merrick's the worst. He thinks he's helping her, but she needs to get away from them. This isn't helping her deal with anything."

Alex watched as the body guard looked down solemnly. "You know why she's so upset tonight don't you?"

"Only because she gets talkative sometimes when she's drunk. Her father died on the 27th, it's never a good day," Emmett replied austerely. "It'll be 8 years tonight."

Alex had to take a step back, as if the words nearly knocked him over. He suddenly felt unbelievably guilty. Keegan had not offered up any information about her family to Alex; he had to dig the little he did know out of her. But he was aware that she was close with her father, no wonder she had sounded so desperate. She was reaching out to him, but she would never admit that she needed him. He shook his head hoping to clear it enough to face her.

"Just take care of her tonight," Emmett beseeched.

Alex looked up at the man who only a few weeks earlier wanted to snap him in half. Keegan's unmistakable laugh finally splintered his daze and he slipped behind the velvet curtain. Merrick was relaxed on the sofa watching as Chase and Keegan snorted a white powdery substance. Keegan finished her line first; she rolled her head back onto her shoulders and sniffed deeply. Merrick smiled at her, almost like he was proud of her. The young billionaire finished his line a second after the actress and fought to keep it in. Merrick smirked at him.

"Are you sure you can handle it Davenport?" His smooth British accent was taunting.

Chase glared at him and easily flipped him off; Merrick laughed. Keegan fell onto the unoccupied couch, laying her head back against its cushion. Her beauty couldn't be denied even in this state. Some of her thick ruby tresses were pulled back and pinned to the crown of her head; leaving the rest to cascade in waves around her shoulders. Her top was a sheer one shoulder tank, the color of lilacs with a black rose mesh covering. Her dark denim jeans hugged her hips and legs in an air tight embrace. Her legs were stretched out in front of her crossed at her ankles. The dim light hit the silver Swarovski crystals on her black Manolo Blahniks. Alex absently wondered what she used to wear before she ever came to Hollywood.

"What are you staring at?" Keegan quirked her brows without opening her eyes.

Alex set her glass on the table in front of her then set down beside her. He leaned back on the cushions like her. He didn't speak to her, just peered at her out of the corner of his eye.

"What are you looking Shelley?" She insisted.

"So you're a coke head too?" He shot.

Keegan flung herself into a sitting position and fixed him with the harshest glare one could marshal. "How dare you?" She spat. "If you must know it wasn't cocaine, it was Oxycotin."

"Because that makes it better," Alex scoffed. "Look I know that you're upset but this isn't going to fix anything. You can't keep doing this to yourself."

"And what am I doing? I'm just trying to have fun, get off my back Shelley." Keegan reached for her beverage, downing it in a few gulps. She slammed the glass back on the table and ordered Chase and Merrick to follow her to the bar.

Alex hurried after them, but the crowd that had parted to let the star studded group pass had swallowed them up again. He pushed past a few people finally spotting the tiny girl in between her two lackeys. The bar back placed shot glasses in front of them and handed the tequila over. The young X division star went back to the table with the other wrestlers, but made sure to keep an eye on the actress.

"So how's it going lover boy?" Chris wiggled his eyebrows at his best friend.

"Not very well." Alex answered falling into an empty chair.

"Is she okay?" Jamie asked.

"No. Chase and Merrick never have her best interest at heart, and tonight she really needs someone who does," he sighed.

"Well then why aren't you still with her?" Jamie questioned.

"I pissed her off again. I tend to do that without trying sometimes."

"Ordinarily I'd say stop being a dick, but maybe she deserves some of what she gets," Chris stated.

A pair of matching glares made him instantly regret his words.

"No one deserves to be taken advantage of," Jamie clucked.

"I didn't mean it like that," he tried to defend. "It's just she makes her own her choices ya know?"

"They just aren't smart or well thought out," Alex added. "I'm sorry I dragged you guys out here."

"Forget it bro, it's all good."

"Yeah, so far it's been a pretty cool night," Jamie bolstered.

Alex smiled gratefully at them, resting his chin on his fist.

~xxx~

The rest of the evening didn't get much better, Chris and Jamie hung out for a while but they called it a night around 2:00. Alex walked them outside promising to call his tag partner when he got home. Jamie told him he was quite noble, Chris just thought he was glutton for punishment. Alex walked back inside the club wondering just who was right. He decided it was probably Chris when he headed back toward the VIP room. A commotion on the dance floor caught his attention; he stood on his tip toes on the fringe of the circle that had opened up.

"Great," a humorless chuckle couldn't be helped.

Keegan was up on a table providing a very public lap dance for Chase Davenport. The boy was sitting back in the booth wrap around enjoying the show. His smile was wicked as he watched her sway her hips to the beat. Suddenly she dropped to her knees and slunk to the edge of the table. Chase leaned forward trying to capture her in what looked to be a kiss, but Keegan pushed him away and crawled into his lap. She seemed to have no qualms about grinding against him instead. Chase's hands began to roam all over her, and when his fingers slipped inside the top of her jeans Alex shoved his way toward them. The other club goers watched with lecherous fascination, only a few looked away awkwardly.

Keegan smiled wantonly up at Alex as he approached. She stood ungracefully, tripping slightly and barely catching herself on the corner of the table. She laughed turning back to Chase.

"Keegs, you're so fucked," he snickered.

"Mmm," she purred, "I'm so good right now." She started to switch her hips to the music.

"Hey," Alex spun her around.

Her eyes; glassy and huge reflected the swirls of the colored lights. She fell into Alex, immediately moving her hips against his. He stilled her by putting his hands on her hips, but she didn't seem to mind. Keegan cuddled up to him, resting her head on his chest.

"You left me," she whispered into his simple black shirt.

"You didn't want me around anymore," he replied. He was getting better at hiding his surprise around her.

"I always want you around." She leaned up expectantly.

Alex shook his head, but he did slip his arms around her waist. "Kam, I told you that I want you to remember it in the morning."

She sighed but didn't shove him away. The music had morphed into a ballad and Alex suddenly realized they'd moved to the center of the floor and were dancing to the slow romantic beat. He pulled her a little closer against him.

After the song the tempo picked back up and Keegan led Alex back to the VIP lounge. Emmett gave them a brief smile as they slipped inside. She settled onto the fluffy pastel pillows in the corner, smiling at the young wrestler as he sat down cross legged beside her.

"So, you about ready to get outta here?" Alex suggested.

Keegan's attention was abruptly stolen by the shiny pink fabric on the throw pillow.

"Can we go back to your place?" She asked softly.

"Yeah. We can go wherever you want."

Keegan leaned over resting her head down on the supple pillow. Her eyes slipped closed and Alex hoped she wouldn't pass out before he got her home.

"Hey." He swiped a lock of hair behind her ear. He noticed a small cluster of pink and black stars tattooed behind her right ear. He squinted at it bending closer for a better look. "Huh, that's cute. Kam, c'mon you can't fall asleep yet."

"I'm not," she argued. "I'm comfy. You should try these pillows Trix."

Alex raised his eyebrows, "Trix? This seems to be a trend when you're messed up."

"I'm not that messed up." Keegan popped her eyes open as if to prove her point, but her pupils were huge. "I'm good. And yeah, Trix."

He chuckled, "where did you come up with that?"

"I used to know someone named Trix. You remind me of them."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

She smiled, "a very good thing."

Alex was suddenly captivated by that smile; it was slight and had a hint of mischief at the corners. He knew that was probably the smile that she used to get out of trouble when she was a child. Alex recalled what Emmett had said earlier, about the 27th never being a good day. Sadness ebbed over him; his father was still alive; he couldn't imagine losing him when he was a kid.

"So are we blowing this popsicle stand or what?" He finally asked her.

"Chase and Merrick," she slurred, "I've gotta say good bye."

Keegan got to her feet unsteadily and giggled when she nearly toppled over. Alex caught her before she could fall. He sighed; Keegan smoothed the creases from her shirt and marched out of the VIP room. The crowd was beginning to thin out. She scanned the club goers from the safety of the bar, but she didn't see either Chase or Merrick. Alex came up behind her slipping his arm around her waist. He watched as her face fell in a pout; he knew they wouldn't still be there.

"C'mon Kam, lets go back to the apartment," he urged tugging gently on her waist.

"Everyone always leaves me," she murmured leaving his embrace and walking back to the VIP lounge.

She instructed Emmett to call the car as she let the curtain fall behind her. Alex caught the drape leaning on the door frame as Emmett spoke on his phone. When the bodyguard was done arranging transportation Alex told him he was taking Keegan back to his place.

"Good luck getting out the door," he advised. "The paparazzi are still waiting outside and we don't have a decoy tonight."

"Where is Britt?" Alex asked.

"She is allowed one day off. Not that Keegan really notices. She usually yells for her all day long."

"Yeah, she's not the nicest boss; she kinda takes you guys for granted."

Emmett shrugged. "I've had worse employers. Besides, if Britt and I leave, she'll have no one. Her very first agent hired us on for her and we're the only ones that she hasn't chased off yet. She can't keep a publicist, and she's had multiple agents. The one she has now will only deal with Britt. She's gotta tell Keegan the plans and about the meetings. I mean Britt pretty much organizes and runs Keegan's life, not that Keegan ever follows those plans."

"Yeah, she doesn't like to make plans," Alex smirked to himself.

"Well, the car should be here. Do you wanna go get her?"

"Just get us in the car as quick as possible. Can we meet it at the back door?"

"You're going to, but photographers are going to be there as well."

"Hell," the brunette cursed. "Can't you scare them away?"

"Just get inside the SUV as fast as possible, and whatever you do, don't say anything. Do not answer any of their questions," Emmett pointed his massive finger directly in Alex's face.

"I won't," he shook his head then went in the room to gather Keegan.

She was curled up in the corner on the pillows. Alex was able to rouse her with little difficulty. She'd kicked off her shoes again, but she had enough sense to grab them before she fitted herself to Alex's side. His arm went securely back around her middle. He was beginning to enjoy having her so close to him, but back in the corner of his mind there was a little voice telling him to be careful. Ignoring any doubts that he may have had, they stumbled out the back entrance of the club. Emmett was right, there was a handful of photographers scoping out the exit and as soon as the body guard pushed open the door the flashes started going off. Alex was nearly blinded by all the bright punches of blue light and all their voices jumbled together. He couldn't separate one question from another even if he wanted to answer any of them. Emmett fielded what he could, keeping the zealous reporters off of them. Alex shoved Keegan in the car and slammed the door behind him.

"How the hell do you deal with that on a daily basis?" he demanded.

She shrugged pulling her knees up to her chest. "If it's not career or life threatening you just deal."

He smirked at his own words then finally breathed a sigh of relief when they began to move. He gave the driver his address and settled back for the brief journey. Keegan remained unusually quiet while she stared out the tinted windows. Alex scooted closer to her, brushing his hand along her arm.

"You okay?"

She gave him a tight lipped smile with her nod and turned back to the car window.

~xxx~

Keegan stood in the middle of Alex's living room admiring the décor of two bachelors. It wasn't as immaculate as her cottage, but he and Chris didn't have a cleaning lady once a week either. She dropped her shoes unceremoniously by the couch and went into the kitchen. Alex was getting a glass of water and two Tylenol. He heard Keegan come in and wasn't surprised to find her sitting on the table top when he turned around.

"Do you want something?" He asked.

She shook her head. "I like your apartment. It suits you; very frat boy meets experienced traveler." She motioned to the eclectic group of storage canisters sitting on the counter.

"Yeah," he smirked, "with a dash of irresponsible ditzy blonde and overanalyzing cocky brunette thrown in for good measure."

She chortled and stretched up toward the ceiling popping the cricks out of her back. Hopping down off the table she wandered into the living room, grazing her hand along the navy pin striped couch she looked around.

Glancing down the unlit hallway she remarked, "Your room's down here?"

Not waiting for an answer she found the open door and went in. The hunter green walls had gray accents up near the ceiling. He had several framed pictures scattered all over the room and a carving of two black Japanese characters hanging over the head of his bed. Clothes were overflowing from a hamper in the corner, and the bed was made haphazardly with his lap top sitting in the middle of it. But the thing that caught Keegan's eye the most was the window. It was oval and took up a large portion of the upper left wall. Mahogany stained molding surrounded it. She leaned against the wall and sought out the iridescent moon.

Alex found her after texting Chris; her presence stopped him cold in the door way. She was more than beautiful standing there in a swatch of moonlight. He quietly crossed the salt and pepper carpet to be with her.

"Do you believe that things happen for a reason?" She asked not taking her eyes from the window.

"Yeah, I do."

"Even the bad things?"

"Well yeah, the bad things usually have a lesson ingrained in them. It sucks when it's happening, but you're usually a better person for going through it."

"I'm not." She disagreed.

Alex watched as two tears dripped slowly down her cheeks in the pale moonlight. "I know why you're so upset tonight."

Keegan tore her eyes away from the sky, fixing them on Alex. She waited for him to continue.

"I'm sure it doesn't get any easier as time goes on and there really isn't anything that I can say that will make you feel better, but I'm sure that your father is very proud of you. He's looking down on you everyday."

Keegan's eyes widened, and filled up with more water. "How did you…. Who told you?"

"Emmett and I were talking. I know it's gotta be so hard to remember it every year. But you need to remember all the time that you had with your dad."

She quickly shook her head. "No, no. Just st- stop. I can't… You don't even know. I… No." She clamped her eyes closed; black tears poured down her ivory face as she tried to shield herself with her hands. She wiped at the mascara and the eye make-up smearing it even more. Alex was shocked. He didn't expect this and was floundering for what to do.

"Kam, I… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you so much." He reached out to take her hands but she jerked away. "What? What's wrong?"

Keegan had to sit down before she could look at him. She shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself. "Nothing. Forget it."

She was trembling when he sat on the corner of the bed beside her. He didn't touch her, just turned to directly face her.

"Keegan I'm sorry if I brought up painful memories, the last thing I want is to hurt you. But I can't believe that all this is because of your dad."

"I don't wanna talk about this anymore," she whimpered. "Please stop."

Alex would have agreed to anything if it would take that heart breaking look off her face.

"Okay, I'm sorry. I can make tea," he offered.

"You're gonna make me tea?" Keegan almost laughed.

"Yeah, I don't have any of the cool kinds that you do, but I think we have honey and a lemon."

She wiped at the black lines still staining her cheeks and gave him one of her worn sweater smiles. "I'd like that."

He beamed back at her, "okay. If you wanna wash your face and stuff the bathroom's across the hall. There should be washcloths on the shelf in there."

"Alex," she called him just as he got to the door, "thank you."

All of the pretense was gone; her voice wasn't wrapped up in velvet and her eyes were red. She looked like a little girl caught playing dress up.

"You're welcome Kam. Come out when you're done."

~xxx~

Alex was sitting on the couch in a pair of track pants and a tank top. Keegan's tea was waiting for her on the coffee table. When she came out her face was devoid of all make-up, her hair was down hanging free in its soft natural waves. As pretty as she was in designer gowns and flawlessly made up, Alex wanted to see more of her this way. Without all the artificial cover up.

"I hope it's alright, we didn't have any lemon," he confessed.

"It's fine," she assured inhaling the steam curling up from the mug. She tucked her feet up under her and sipped it gingerly.

"Look Kam, I don't wanna fight with you, but I kinda do wanna talk to you about something."

"Alright. Shoot."

Alex took a deep breath and dove in. "Merrick and Chase left you again tonight. Can't you see that they don't really care about you?"

Keegan chuckled "I know that. We all only really care about ourselves and our habits. The twins included. They use me and I use them. I wouldn't know half the people I do in this business if it wasn't for Merrick. I wouldn't have even gotten in to see the director of _Double Vanity_ if Merrick hadn't met him at club for a deal."

"And you're okay with that?" He questioned incredulously.

"No, but you do what you gotta do right?" She took another sip of tea.

Alex shook his head. "Even if it does a disservice to you? I mean you're too good to think you really need him or that shit he gives you."

She stared down into her cup. "It just helps sometimes," she finally shrugged.

"What about finding another way to deal with it," he suggested.

"That's why I love acting. I get to be someone else for a while."

Alex squinted at her like if he looked hard enough he could see inside her mind. She stared back at him in a way that suggested she was well practiced at deflecting this same attempt by others. He finally sighed and dropped his gaze. The clock above the T.V. said that dawn was well on its way and he suddenly realized how tired he was.

"Ya know something," Keegan began, "I like you."

It took Alex a moment to find his voice but he replied with, "well that's good, 'cause I like you too."

"I know," she smirked.

He rolled his eyes. "Is there anything you don't know?"

"No," she indulged in a mouthful of tea.

He laughed and stood up. "I've got a match tomorrow night, I'm going to bed. You're more than welcomed to watch a movie or something out here if you want."

"I'll manage."

"Do you want pillows and a blanket? Or you could probably just crash in Chris' bed, he'd love it; he'd never change his sheets again."

"I'm fine. Go to bed Trix," she smiled at him.

He returned it, "G'night Kam."

~xxx~

The sun was playing peek-a-boo with his curtain and he rolled over pulling the covers up to hide form it. He snuggled down into his pillow almost asleep again when he heard a tiny whimper. Picking his head up, he concentrated on the sound coming from his door. He got up and padded across to open it.

"Keegan?" He thought he must be dreaming when he found the actress sitting beside his door with her knees drawn up to her chest.

She sniffled and picked her head up, her cheeks were damp and her eyes still had pools of water in them.

"What's going on?" Alex asked. "Are you okay?"

She mumbled something then put her head back down. Alex crouched in front of her and picked her chin back up. "You gotta speak up, I'm deaf sometimes."

She bit her quivering lip for a moment. "I had a bad dream," she confessed in a whisper so soft that Alex wouldn't have heard it if he wasn't so close.

"That's why you never sleep isn't it?" He suddenly understood.

She nodded. "That's why I take the Ativan. It's supposed to relieve my anxiety and help me sleep. But it doesn't stop the nightmares."

"What are they about?" Alex moved to sit beside her against the wall; he slipped his arm around her and drew her closer to him.

She shook her head, "just stuff that I've tried to forget about."

"You can talk to me ya know. It's like a rule when two people like each other; they're encouraged to trust each other and open up to them."

"No one believed me then. Why should you believe me now?" She asked. She hadn't moved any closer to him, but she hadn't pulled away either.

"Why shouldn't I? You've been nothing but honest, maybe even a little too honest at times," he hoped to get her to smile but his attempt was unsuccessful. "It's up to you Kam. I'm here if you wanna talk to me."

She took a deep breath and held it for a second. She closed her eyes; Alex let her gather herself waiting patiently for her response. "My father died when I was 14, you know that. He was in a car accident. On his way home from work someone swerved into his lane, he tried to move over but he hit some loose gravel and lost control of the car. He died before the ambulance got to the scene; he was trapped by his seat belt." She kept her gaze steeled to the opposite wall. "My mom and I moved down to Hartford and she met David Montgomery. They dated for a while, then before I knew what was happening they were married. We moved into his house and he wanted me to call him _dad_. Needless to say we didn't see eye to eye. It was 7 months after they got married; my mom was already pregnant with Zachy when he came into my room for the first time. He didn't do anything that night, I woke up and he was just watching me. I told him that I'd tell my mom and he dared me to."

Keegan blinked quickly trying to get rid of the water in her eyes. Tucking a piece of hair back determinedly she continued. "I told her about David coming into my room but she didn't believe me. She said that I was just upset over my father's death and I was placing my resentment on David. He could never do that, he'd saved us, I should be grateful that she had found such a great guy. Yeah… he was great. The first night he got into bed with me I fought him so hard that I scratched the side of his neck. He twisted my arm behind my back so I couldn't move and just kept touching me…. everywhere."

Keegan shuddered screwing her eyes closed tight. Alex pulled her closer to him and she didn't open her eyes until her head was tucked under his chin and she could hear his heart beat.

"I thought my mother would have to believe me, I left four scratches on him, but she just ignored them. Said they could've come from anywhere, she never asked him about them. It went on that way for while. He'd sneak into my bed and just touch me at first, but then he tried to do more. Zachy was a few months old; he'd just started sleeping through the night. I knew it was different when he tried to take his boxers off. I screamed, he slapped me and covered my mouth with his hand. I couldn't breath. I kicked at him, punched him, I tried to get away from him. We woke Zachy up. I know my mother got up with the baby; she never came to check on me. She had to have heard the struggle. I kept screaming every time his hand slipped. She never came."

"How long?" Alex's voice sounded rough and choked even to him, like it had been a while since he'd last used it. He didn't slacken the hold he had on her.

"Until I was 17. I graduated high school and before July came I was gone. I stayed with friends at first, bounced around from couch to couch. I was always so afraid that he'd find me ya know. Then one of my friends was going down to New York to start school and I went with him. I actually lived in the frat house on campus for a few weeks. One of the guys I met was a senior majoring in theatre, he took me on a couple of auditions with him and that's how I got my very first bit parts in off Broadway plays. I beat my first agent's son in poker, that's how I got him to represent me. He got me out to LA and the rest is history. See I belong in movies, my whole life's a movie," she tried to make herself smile but it got lost somewhere on the way to her mouth.

Alex picked her head up so he could look into her eyes. They were a misty haunted lagoon. She held his gaze challenging him. She was daring him to run away, imploring him to get out while he still could. He tucked some of her ruby waves behind her ear and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. Tentatively Keegan unwrapped herself and snaked her arms around him. She tucked her head back under his chin and her eyes fluttered closed; content in feeling the rhythm of his heart beat against her ear


	11. Chapter 11

~Sorry about the long wait guys, I kinda got stuck with where this is going. But I think I got it figured out now. I hope you're still interested in this story. As always PLEASE review, they really do mean the world to me, espeacially with this story. Let me know what you think & if you want me to continue it. Enjoy~

~Chapter 11~

Alex wasn't sure how long they'd sat by his door. Chris had announced his arrival home and the actress untangled herself from the wrestler; ducking into the bathroom to fix herself up.

Alex shuffled into the kitchen in a daze. Keegan's story was spinning around his brain slamming into the parts that controlled basic functions. Just thinking about it made his stomach clench deep inside him. How could anyone take advantage of her; take advantage of a child? No wonder she kept everyone at arm's length.

"Alex!"

"Wha?" He snapped his head up to Chris.

"You haven't heard a word I said have you?" The older boy accused.

"No, not really," he confessed falling into a chair at the kitchen table.

Chris rolled his baby blues. "I said Lauren spent the night at Jeremy's last night. She came in while I was leaving. Jamie's gonna give me the details later."

Alex watched his friend throw a frozen pastry into the toaster. "You really are worse than a chick with all the gossip. Dude, who anyone sleeps with is their own personal business."

"Unless you're me, than it's everyone's business," Keegan said coming into the kitchen.

Chris' eyes bugged and they all heard him lose his breath at her appearance. He slumped against the counter swallowing thickly before he found his voice.

"Keegan," he squeaked. "What…? Where…? Hi."

She smirked. "Good morning Christopher."

Alex watched as his friend melted like butter on a hot pan and barely held back his laugh. There was no denying Keegan Malloy when she turned on that infamous charm. Keegan's eyes sparkled on their own accord and she bit her lip while tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Chris visibly shuddered at her ardent stare. His eyes were still as wide as dinner plates.

"And just where did you sleep last night?" She inquired putting her hand on her hip.

"Um…" He squirmed a little, "at Jamie's. Did you stay here?"

"Mm-hmm," she nodded reaching around him to get a glass out of the cupboard.

Chris seemed amazed at the fact that Keegan Malloy was pouring herself orange juice in the middle of his kitchen. He kept looking from her to his tag partner; Alex was much too calm for his liking. The older boy watched Keegan slide into the chair next to Alex and had to bite his tongue to stop himself from demanding just what was going on. The air surrounding the two seemed to be electric. Chris jumped when his strudel popped up from the toaster. He put it on a plate and took a seat across from the actress.

"So what's on the agenda for today guys?" He asked with flaky crumbs falling out of his mouth.

Alex cringed but did answer him, "Chilling 'til Impact. Probably taking Keegan home sometime before. Do you have any appointments or anything?"

"I don't think so," she furrowed her brows. "I should check my black berry though."

Keegan got up and went to the stand in the living room where she'd left her phone. She checked her calendar and found the date empty. Smiling she returned to the kitchen.

"Nothing's scheduled for today so I get to go to Impact with you."

"Awesome," Chris grinned.

"That's assuming that we want you there," Alex quipped. "You could ask first."

Keegan narrowed her jade eyes but couldn't stop the smirk that curved her lips. "You know I don't have to ask for anything. I just always seem to get what I want."

Alex chuckled and shook his head. "You want breakfast?"

"I don't suppose you know how to make eggs benedict?" Keegan asked knowing it was fruitless.

"Um… Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Reese's Peanut Butter Puffs?" Alex held up the boxes.

Keegan tilted her head as she pondered her options. "Cinnamon Toast Crunch please."

"Do you want some coffee?" Chris offered.

"She doesn't drink coffee," Alex supplied. "Did you really use all the milk again?"

"There's some in there behind the protein shakes."

"I'll be lucky if I get one bowl outta this."

Chris shrugged. "At least I didn't use all of it."

Alex turned around and slapped Chris in the back of the head.

"Hey!" The blonde frowned.

"Boys," Keegan cut in, "why doesn't someone just go get more milk?"

"Yeah Chris, go get some."

"Dude, you want it."

Keegan sighed loudly rolling her eyes to match. "Chris, would you please go get some milk so I can have some cereal?"

Alex smirked instantly recognizing the velvety texture to her voice. He watched her go in for the kill with her shy smile and eye bat combo and knew Chris was done.

"I'll be back in a few minutes," he nearly knocked his chair over as he stood up. He didn't even pause to grab a hoodie on his way down to the corner store.

"How do you do that?" Alex wondered.

She shrugged, "it's a gift."

Alex's smile faltered and he suddenly grew very serious. "Kam, are you sure you want to come tonight? I mean… If you're not up to it…" He trailed off.

"Why wouldn't I be up to it?"

"Well, after everything last night… I mean you've gotta be I don't know… upset?"

Keegan's porcelain features fell and she drew back into her chair. Her eyes got misty but she blinked hard and cleared them. "Alex I've been past upset for quite some time now. But what am I gonna do? I'm not gonna lie down and die. It hurts everyday, and it is draining to talk about it, but I won't stop living. I do what I want when I want, and I'm certainly not going to let someone like _him_ dictate how I live anymore. I gave him too much of that satisfaction when I was younger. I wanna go to Impact with you, and I'm going."

She tried hard to put her confident façade back up, not realizing she was trembling under the task. Alex reached over and took her hand in his. He brushed his thumb over her knuckles and when her eyes finally made it back to his they looked relieved. She squeezed his hand gently gracing him with a very small but sincere smile.

Suddenly the phone pulled them apart. Alex grabbed it off the counter and answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey," Chris greeted. "Does Keegan like whole milk or skim?"

Alex remained silent. He wasn't sure if he was shocked by the random question or by the blonde's sheer foolishness. He made a noise like he was grasping for the words but then just couldn't get them and hung up.

"Who was that?" Keegan asked intrigued by his face.

"No one." Alex had to close his eyes. "How do you possibly put with people? I mean if everyone bent over backwards for me about the most absurd shit I'd go crazy."

"You get used to it," she replied with a snicker. "I think that's part if the reason I like you so much. You actually put up a challenge before you cave."

"Ah," Alex's chin dropped to the tops of his bare feet. "I do not cave."

Keegan fixed him with an incredulous gaze refusing to even comment.

"I don't give into you. Stop looking at me like that."

She held her hands up in mock surrender. She quickly changed the subject. "So who are you guys wrestling tonight?"

"I think we've got those British guys tonight."

"Awesome. You get to win?"

"I don't know yet. Probably."

Keegan opened her mouth to respond, but the door burst open before she could.

"Why did you hang up on me?" Chris placed two bags on the table. He took out four half gallons of milk.

"What the hell is all this?" Alex demanded.

"Well you didn't tell me what kind of milk she liked so I got one of each; whole milk, skim milk, 1%-"

"And goat's milk?" The brunette picked up the glass bottle, scrunching his nose at the label.

"Well I just thought…" Chris ended in a shrug.

Keegan bit her bottom lip trying hard not to laugh.

"What are we gonna do with two gallons of milk? And seriously, goat's milk? Dude she's not-"

"Thank you Chris," the young actress interrupted, "it was very thoughtful of you. Alex can I please have skim milk in my cereal."

Chris smiled proudly while his younger roommate begrudgingly opened the skim milk. He made sure to use regular ole' 1% for himself though.

~xxx~

After breakfast, Keegan called Britt and told her assistant to come get her, even though Chris had offered to take her home. She told him that he should worry about his match instead of her. Britt texted her arrival and Alex walked Keegan down to the parking garage.

"You're sure you wanna come tonight?" Alex asked her again.

Keegan rolled her eyes playfully. Secretly, she appreciated his concern. "Yes. I told you I've been dealing with it for a while now, I've got it down."

"You shouldn't have to be dealing with anything," he sighed. "If you ever wanna talk…"

Her green eyes softened, but the way her body stiffened it was obvious that there would be no more late night therapy sessions. Quickly shaking her head clear she turned to face him.

"Are you gonna be all mushy and shit now?" She cocked her brow, "'cause you're gonna get wicked boring if this is how it's gonna be between us."

Alex snickered. "And when Keegan Malloy is bored God help us. If we were in medieval times still, I bet you'd be one of those royal bitches that demanded knights to joust to the death whenever you got bored."

"Newsflash Shelley, I am royalty," she flipped some of her scarlet hair over her shoulder.

Britt lowered the automatic window to smile warmly at Alex. "Hi," she chirped.

"Hey B," he nodded, "take care of the princess here okay?"

"Princess… please. I'm a queen."

"Just try not to cause a scene tonight your highness," Alex scoffed.

"You should know better by now," Keegan replied getting into the passenger side of the car.

"I do, it was just wishful thinking," he shut the door for her. "See ya later."

She smiled at him before slipping on her huge designer sunglasses and putting up the window.

Alex shook his head as he went back inside and waited for the elevator of his building. With a bit of a jolt he realized he missed her already. He pushed his hand roughly through his short dark hair cursing at himself. He knew this was a big mistake waiting to happen. Keegan was so out of his element, quite literally. What did he know about movie premieres and red carpets? Not to mention the girl was packing some serious baggage. He already knew she was more than he could handle. But he also knew that he was already addicted to those rare uncontrived smiles. These past few weeks had been full of surprises and arguments that he knew he would miss if he listened to the rational side of his brain. Somehow he had made up his mind by the time the elevator opened on his floor. Foolishly, he let the beating of his heart drown out the rest of his sense. He couldn't help the grin that overtook his face.

~xxx~

By the time the Guns got to the Impact Zone there was a definite buzz in the air, more than just the normal T.V. night aura. And was it just Alex's imagination or was everyone staring at him?

"Dude?" The brunette glanced at his partner.

"Yeah bro," Chris answered. "Wonder what's up?"

Just as Alex was about to say he didn't know, someone called out to him.

"Hey Shelley, you've gone Hollywood now?" James Storm laughed.

"What? Are you drunk already?"

"Not yet," the Tennessee Cowboy chuckled approaching the Michigan natives. Alex noticed a rolled up magazine in his hand and suddenly had a very sinking feeling. "Look here."

James unfurled the tabloid revealing the cover shot of Alex and Keegan leaving Addiction. The caption was in bold yellow print, _Keegan Malloy dragged out of club by mystery boyfriend after she was caught giving Chase Davenport a lap dance._

"There's a whole article to boot," James smirked. "Havin' trouble keeping your woman in line, there mystery boyfriend?"

"Fuck off Storm!" Alex growled ripping his cell phone out of his pocket. He hit the last number in his speed dial and waited impatiently as the phone dialed "Kam".

As usual it took some time for her to answer. "You've already seen it then." There was no question in her voice.

"I've just been slapped in the face with it. What are we going to do?"

"Nothing," she replied indifferently.

"What do you mean nothing? I didn't drag you out of a club, there's not a word of truth in this," he disputed.

"Welcome to my world Trix. At least they don't have your name yet, you still have a bit of anonymity."

"Well that's comforting. And just because my face isn't beamed up into the satellites of space like yours, some people are still gonna recognize me."

"There's not much we can do about it. Even if we deny it no one's gonna believe us now. Pictures never lie." He could hear the mockery in her tone and felt his temper flare even more. "Listen, I'm almost there, let me call Britt and I'll talk to you when I get there."

"Yeah sure. Later," he slid his phone closed.

"It's really not that bad dude," Chris assured as he read the article displayed on pages 34-35.

Alex snatched the tabloid out of his hand, marched over to the nearest trash can, and shoved it inside.

"That's not gonna make it go away Shelley. It's up on the internet too; they've got video of Keegan's mystery boyfriend shoving her in an SUV," James Storm sniggered. "I know how it is though, I mean catching your girl giving another guy a lap dance. I don't blame you for being pissed."

Alex glared darkly at the bigger man. He flipped him off and went to his locker room. Chris followed him in a few minutes later. The blonde set his stuff down glancing at the other boy sitting on the bench.

"Can I ask what's so bad about this?" Chris broached.

"They're accusing me of dragging her out of a club, of being some jealous psycho boyfriend. Never mind that it's the biggest invasion of privacy ever and complete bullshit. And they make Keegan out to be nothing but a whore." He threw his roll of black tape across the room.

"Okay, I get that, but she didn't sound that upset. I kinda think if you wanna keep seeing her you're just gonna have to get used to this sort of thing," Chris shrugged. "People that need to know the truth do, and this will all blow over in a few days."

"It's just so stupid that people don't have anything else to do with their time."

Keegan entered the room talking on her black berry. "No I don't want to make a statement. I don't care how you spin it just make it clear that I was not giving anyone a lap dance and no one dragged me out of anywhere…. Alex? No absolutely not, don't mention his name at all. Tell them it was a friend I was out with."

She nodded to herself, telling the other party to have it fixed by the morning. When she ended the call she blew her bangs out of her face. She looked tired, but not exhausted. She was dressed in a casual black tank top and tight low rise jeans. Her hair was straight red silk with a fringe falling over her beautiful green eyes.

"Hi," she smirked.

Chris smiled at her as he started taking things out his bag. Alex on the other hand greeted her with a hard stare. The back of his mind was chanting 'I told you so' and he was trying to focus on the way his heartbeat picked up as soon as Keegan had came in the room to drown it out.

"Well I can see it's gonna be a pleasant evening," she said sardonically.

Alex finally snickered and shook his head even though he found nothing funny about this situation.

"Look, this isn't that big of a deal. I mean I'm in the papers all the time."

"But I'm not," he quickly interrupted her. "How am I supposed to explain this to people?"

"What do you have to explain? They didn't even name you."

"That's not the point; and people who watch TNA also read magazines. It's only a matter of time 'til they do figure it out. And I don't really like people thinking that I'm so some crazy boyfriend that pushes his girl around."

"Well in all fairness I did deserve it. I was giving Chase a lap dance right in front of you," she joked.

"This isn't funny! If you want people to stop seeing as a slut in movies, than you maybe you should stop fucking acting the part in real life," he finally snapped.

Keegan's amused smile immediately became crest fallen. Her eyes darkened and narrowed at the wrestler in a way that sent chills down his spine. Chris looked from the actress to his tag partner and with a sigh he quietly left them alone. They didn't even hear the door click shut.

"First off, Fuck you Shelley. Secondly, whom I do what with isn't any of your business considering that you aren't actually my boyfriend. If you're really this insecure that you feel the need to throw a hissy fit over a fucking magazine then stop wasting my time. I can't help what they choose to print."

"You could stop giving them stuff," he argued.

"And stay home every night? Everyone else gets to go out and enjoy being young, why shouldn't I get to?"

"God, do you ever consider anyone's point of view besides your own? Go out, have fun, just know when to stop."

"Why should I compromise what I wanna do? I compromised myself for three years and I won't ever let anyone tell me what to do again." Her voice was strong, filled with steeled determination, but her eyes had filled with water. The dark liner traced around the rims made the threatening tears shimmer across the sea of green. "I won't ever give that control to someone else again."

All of Alex's anger deflated as if it had been popped with a sewing needle. He watched Keegan turn on the heel of her flats, intent on walking away from him for the final time. His heart lurched after her and he knew he couldn't let that happen. He began reaching for her before he even spoke, grabbing her arm gently, he implored her to wait.

"Don't go Keegan," he began softly.

Biting her bottom lip she looked up at him almost cautiously through thick lashes. He looked intently into her jade eyes, hoping to see through the wall she constructed around herself. It wasn't easy, but he found her real motives; the fear of giving in and being powerless again, distrusting everyone because she only knew disloyalty, unable to be empathetic because no one had ever shown her how.

"I get where you're coming from," he began, "but try to see it from my perspective. Not only is it an invasion of privacy that I'm not accustomed to, but the headline isn't flattering to either one of us. They're basically saying that I'm a controlling prick and you're a two timing whore."

"Well at least we deserve each other," she smirked.

Alex closed his eyes and sighed in frustration. "Are you like not getting this on purpose, I know you're not this stupid."

She laughed out right that time. "I get it, okay. I get everything you're telling me, but what else am I supposed to do but laugh? If I got angry over everything they printed… I don't even know; there isn't enough Ativan in the world for that. If I have learned anything it's that you need to let go of what you can."

Alex nodded. "Yeah okay, that's true. I mean there are bigger issues to contend with I guess."

"Exactly," Keegan smiled triumphantly.

"But it would make things a lot less stressful if you gave them less negative press."

She growled and whipped around giving him her back. She put her hands on her hips and began tapping the toe of her shoe.

"It's awesome that you're confident enough to truly not give a damn what people think of you, but confidence and self respect are different. That's what I've learned."

"I respect myself," she turned on him again a glare hardening her face.

"Then give other people the chance to respect you too."

Keegan's stiff stance dropped. She seemed to shrink back as if the thought knocked her off balance. She shook her head, if to clear it or to simply disagree with him Alex wasn't sure, but he was certain that her black berry was ringing. She answered it and gave him her back again. Alex picked up the roll of tape and sat down on the bench. He fiddled with the end while he waited.

"That was Britt; she posted a statement on my website that explained the whole thing. You're just my friend and you were pulling me through the hoard of reporters, you're not secretly abusing me."

"That's not funny," he glowered.

"Oh please," she rolled her eyes. "Don't be so sensitive."

"Ya know there are just times when I like Chris so much more than I like you"

"Well that makes two of us," she retorted.

Alex tried hard to fight the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth, he watched as Keegan lost her battle with the happy expression. The door opened slowly and a blonde head poked inside.

"Um… the scripts are done... Is it safe to come in yet?"

Alex and Keegan both began to chuckle at the boy they liked better than each other. She flopped down beside the brunette knocking his shoulder playfully. Chris smirked at the soft smiles he witnessed pass between the pair; he knew he'd have to tell Christy about this.

"We got the British Invasion tonight. We're going over and then we're calling out Suicide again," Chris explained.

"Awesome. I'm glad they're pushing the X-division again," Alex replied.

Chris nodded, flipping to the part that pertained to the Motor City Machine Guns. Keegan sat back and watched attentively as the wrestlers prepared for their performance.


	12. Chapter 12

~Thanks to everyone who has read & reviewed this story. Reviews are awesome & I love them. Please keep letting me know what you guys are thinking. So anyway, here's another chapter in the Keegan & Alex saga hope everyone likes it. The next chapter hopefully won't be too far behind. Enjoy~

~Chapter 12~

Keegan insisted on reclaiming her seat down by ring side. She sauntered through the crowd with a well practiced demure smile. The fans parted for her as they did at all the clubs; just staring after her while she brushed past them. She'd waited until the show was just about to start before making her appearance. The Impact Zone's theme hit and the crowd went crazy, Keegan clapped and cheered right along with them. The camera panned the crowd and stopped on her. She blew a kiss and waved at it. The show started with a bang, literally, fire works announced the arrival of the executive share holder, and Mick Foley headed to the ring. He pandered to the audience as only Mick Foley can and promised for a surprise tweak at the end of the night. Right before he climbed out of the ring he seemed to remember something else and took the microphone back.

"Why I almost forgot," he began, "we have a very special guest in the Impact Zone tonight boys and girls. Sitting in the front row we have Keegan Malloy."

The people went crazy despite Keegan not having any idea that she was going to be pointed out like that. She stood up and waved at the fans then turned around to do the same to the camera one more time.

"We hope you'll enjoy our show Miss Malloy," he smiled at her and stepped out of the ropes.

As Eric Young's music hit the attention shifted to where it should be for the evening, but Alex's was still wrapped around the beautiful cat like eyes in the audience. Chris was busy taping his wrists up when a knock broke on the door.

"Yup," he called.

"Hi ya boys," Mick Foley let himself in.

Chris and Alex looked at one another then back at the executive share holder. "Hey Mick," the blonde spoke first.

"So what's new?" The hard core legend grasped to make small talk.

"Nothin'. You?" Alex inquired suspiciously.

"Well, it seems that an opportunity has presented itself and the creative team really wants to run with it. It'd mean some more TV time and probably a pretty big push toward the titles if it worked out." Mick explained a little too eagerly.

Chris' smile grew wider with every word, and he was ready to agree to it immediately. But Alex wanted to hear the details before he signed on for anything.

"What kind of opportunity?" He cut Chris off.

"Well," Mick took a deep breath, "It's sort of already been set into motion. The message boards are blowing up and fans are e-mailing us a ton of questions. That's where they got the idea."

"For what exactly?" Alex asked again.

"Everyone's really excited about it. We think it'll be a great way to capture even more people's attention. And you guys are practically working the angle now," he smiled encouragingly.

"Stop stalling, what do they want us to do?" Alex demanded.

"Do you think Keegan might want a permanent seat at ring side?" Mick asked.

"What?!" Alex snapped leaping to his feet. "You want to use her to push us! Creative can go to hell; Keegan's not even affiliated with TNA."

"She is now," Mick pulled something out of his pack pocket. Alex rolled his eyes as he recognized the glossy rolled up pages. It was that god damn magazine. "This clearly illustrates that she's affiliated with you. is flooded with this picture and people demanding to know what is going on between you two. We'd be stupid not to capitalize on this. Jesus they'll be riots if we don't address it soon."

"There's nothing to address, and I don't want my personal life being used to push angles."

"Alex we're not asking to follow you around on dates or anything, we just want to offer her a lasting seat and maybe do some interaction between you when she's here," the older wrestler explained. "Like an endorsement."

"Yeah, and maybe we could like cameo in her next movie too."

"That'd be awesome," Chris beamed. "Could we?"

"Shut-up," Alex ordered incredulously.

"I just thought it'd be cool," the blonde shrugged.

"Look, just ask her about it. We want it to be legit; we'll contact her people in the morning," Mick concluded.

"No. If you really wanna to pair us up with a chick then start something with one of the knockouts. The Beautiful People and The Guns could believable hang out."

"The girls already have their own thing going on, and we're bringing the Tara character in soon. It wouldn't make sense in the long run."

"And involving a Hollywood actress makes perfect sense," Alex scoffed. "She's never even been in a movie with a wrestler, why would she suddenly start hanging around?"

Mick held up the magazine again, with a smirk he replied, "because she seems to have invested her attention in you. Plus TNA appeals to all audiences, even Keegan Malloy."

"This is completely ridiculous. What does she gain out of this, why would she even want to do it?"

"We'd pay her an appearance fee. It'd be a real booking."

Alex shook his head intent on shooting the whole situation down again. Mick interrupted him before he could.

"Just think about it. It's an idea and if she says no then it's over." Mick quickly left the locker room.

Alex snarled his displeasure as he began to pace the length of the bench. He muttered about the sheer stupidity of the so called 'creative' department, while every so often pushing his hand through his hair. Chris sat watching as he kept a steady pace back and forth.

"Why are you so pissed off? I think it'd be kinda cool to have Keegan sitting at ring side cheering us on."

"Of course you do," Alex rolled his eyes.

Chris stuck his foot directly into Alex's path causing the younger boy to stumble. Alex glared at him but before he could speak the blonde jumped in.

"Look, I understand this whole having feelings for a girl thing is new to you and I'm sure Keegan's not your typical female, but having this huge attitude isn't going to win you any points bro. As much as you seem to hate it, she's pretty damn famous so you either need to suck it up and deal or throw her back and find another fish. Personally I think you're a fucking dumbass for even letting her fame be an issue. She could _literally_ have anyone she wants and she chooses to spend time with you. Doesn't that tell you something?"

"She's not an angel," Alex floundered.

"She's still way outta your league dude. If I were you I'd hold on tight before she realizes it."

"Humph." Alex fell onto the bench beside his tag partner. "She already does know it."

"And yet she's still willingly hangin' out."

The brunette squinted at the bright truth reflecting off those words. Keegan was beginning to let her façade crumble when she was around him; Alex suddenly knew he'd have to repay the gesture by giving up some of the control and balance he craved. Nodding to himself he decided that he'd deal with the inevitable whirl wind that spun around Keegan if it meant keeping her around.

"We've got a match to prep for. I'll bring her to Mick and Jeff after the taping."

The Guns and the young British team worked well together. Each one got the chance to showcase their styles and abilities. The British Invasion looked like they'd be going over when Brutus Magnus hit his finisher on Alex, but Chris was right there to save his partner and break up the three with a well placed elbow. He used all of the ref's count of 5 he could before he got back on the apron. Alex was able to catch Magnus with a stiff kick to the jaw when the larger man got to his feet. Chris used this moment to take out the rest of their opponents, allowing Alex to hit a frog splash and pick up the victory. The camera focused on the winning team as they stood proudly in the center of the ring, but then the shot cut to a close up on Keegan. She was grinning and clapping just as the other fans were, however, the camera remained fixed only on her for a few seconds then cut back to the ring where the Guns were stepping out of the ropes to head back up the tunnel. Alex purposefully avoided the side of the audience where Keegan was seated. He didn't want to give them anymore on this angle until he knew how Keegan felt about it. The boys hit the showers and changed into some regular clothes. They were chilling in the catering area with Jeremy and Jay discussing the basic techniques to survive a zombie attack when Alex's phone buzzed. He grabbed it off the table and slid it open to respond to his text.

_What's a girl gotta do to score a backstage pass around here?_

He smiled as his fingers moved over his phone's black and green buttons.

_Well that depends on the girl & how far she's willing to go ;)_

A second later his phone vibrated in his hand.

_Well that depends on how desperate the bouncer is. _

_Lmao. You've been in this situation before haven't you?_

_;)_

Alex chuckled and told her that he'd meet her in the locker room in few minutes. He closed his phone and looked up to find his friends all staring at him.

"So, is she coming back?" Jay asked nearly bouncing in his seat.

"You've already got an autograph," Alex rolled his eyes.

The young man hailing from New Jersey deflated a little. He crossed his arms over his chest.

Jeremy laughed beside him. Shaking his head he replied, "Alex is just pissy 'cause Chase Davenport got to bone Keegan before he did."

"Hey shut-up!" Alex snapped, now on his feet.

"When do you finally get the lap dance 'Lex?" Jeremy continued nudging Jay with his elbow.

"Fuck you," he narrowed his eyes at the blonde before storming toward the exit.

"Dude," he heard Jeremy begin, "I didn't mean anything, what's his problem?"

Alex had no desire to hear the rest of that conversation and hurried to his locker room. He rounded the corner and jerked to a stop as if he'd banged into a transparent wall. Mick Foley was standing outside his door talking to Keegan.

"Foley," Alex approached them. "What's going on?"

"Hey Alex," Mick answered gritting his teeth at the interruption. "I was just discussing the idea I pitched to you earlier with Keegan. She was just about to tell me what she thinks."

Alex immediately looked at the actress standing next to him. She seemed strangely amused with a smile hiding in the corner of her mouth. He didn't know if this should relax him or not.

"Well it sounds like it'd be pretty cool. What exactly would my involvement entail?"Keegan wondered.

Mick was not as good at hiding his surprise around Keegan as Alex was. He hurried to get all the information out.

"Well, we'd like to offer you a temporary position in the company as part of a romantic angle with Alex Shelley of the Motor City Machine Guns. It seems there is already something going on between you two, and before you start Alex I know it isn't any of my business and I don't care what is going on with you, it would just be good for business if we could capitalize on the media hype surrounding you two."

"So what would I have to do if I agree to this?"

"Just sit at ringside for as many shows as you can make and maybe let us film some segments between you guys in the back."

Keegan glanced at Alex, she seemed untroubled at his discomfort with this whole conversation, but then she nearly knocked him backward with her next statement.

"Let me think about it and I'll get back to you Mr. Foley."

"Of course," Mick beamed. "Take all the time you need Miss Malloy."

She smiled concluding the discussion and went inside the Guns locker room. Alex stood there mouth nearly hanging down to the tiled floor. Had Keegan really just agreed to think before jumping into something?

Mick looked at him weirdly, "you alright Shelley?"

"If hell freezes over just let me die okay?" Alex replied following Keegan into his locker room, leaving a very confused executive share holder standing in the hallway.

"So what do you think?" She asked before Alex had even fully shut the door.

"You're asking me?"

"Yeah, I mean this would affect you too, and you were rather upset about a magazine cover so I doubt you're down for all this."

"Why are you asking me? You usually do what you want," Alex busied himself at his locker.

"I just thought I'd try it this one time. How about you stop being a dick and don't make me regret it."

"Is my answer really going to make a difference?" He turned around to face her looking directly into her eyes.

"I don't know yet," she answered honestly.

Alex sighed and took a seat on the bench. "I don't want you to do it. It'd help TNA more than it would help you, and it might alienate some of your fans. I think you should just concentrate on the movie you've got lined up."

"But it would be free press before the movie even begins shooting, and who's to say I'd stay long enough to alienate anyone?" She countered sitting down beside him.

"Foley, he and creative would milk this thing for all it was worth. It wouldn't be worth the risk."

"To my career or to us?" Keegan asked softly.

"Us?" A pair of chocolate brown eyes snapped up to her, wide and filled with disbelief. "Is there an us?"

"I don't know yet," she smirked. "There's a definite possibility."

Alex chuckled and shook his head. "Well in that case, I don't want you to do the part, but I'll respect any decision you make."

"You will?" It was her turn to look stunned, "without a lecture?"

"It's your life, I have no say over what you do and I shouldn't pass judgments. I just hope you start thinking about what I've said, 'cause I didn't just say it to piss you off, even if you are pretty cute when you're mad."

Keegan smiled at him while rolling her eyes.

"I guess I just want people to see you for who you are, and not what you portray."

"And who am I?" She asked quietly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"You're a spoiled brat who gets everything handed to her and expects everyone to fall at her feet; someone who throws tantrums when she doesn't get her way," Alex held up one finger when Keegan wanted to protest. "You're an amazing woman full of life and you go after what you want. You're very brave and somehow you have this innate innocence. You drive me crazy… and you fascinate me. Despite me wanting to kill you sometimes, I'm enjoying getting to know you… the _real _you that you keep hidden until you feel safe enough to let your walls down."

Alex reached out, cupping her pink cheek in his hand. He grazed his thumb along her downy soft skin, glancing at her shimmering pout. He figured it probably tasted like some kind of berry, but didn't try to find out. He sought her enchanting jade eyes again and allowed himself to get lost in them for a moment.

"I just hope you keep letting me get to know that you, 'cause that's the one I care about."

Keegan sucked in her bottom lip and worried it between her teeth. Alex had once again rattled her gilded cage and rendered her speechless. She slowly brought her hand up to where his still rested on her cheek and brushed her fingers against his; every movement was gradual, unrushed, as if both of them knew what this moment could be. They both began to move closer not needing any prompting.

Suddenly the door banged opened leading Chris and Jamie inside.

"Hey guys," the young blonde chirped.

Jamie watched as the wrestler and the actress jumped away from each other. She smiled at the pair, there might as well have been little red hearts floating around their heads leaving trails of glitter. She glanced over at Chris and had to chuckle as he missed all the obvious clues and kept right on talking.

"I told you Foley would be all over this idea like white on rice, but anyway, a bunch of us are going out. You guys down?"

"Um…" Alex shook his head finally looking at someone else besides Keegan. "Dude… what?"

"Some of the guys are going to grab a late dinner," Jamie explained. "If you don't have any other plans you should come."

"Oh, yeah," The brunette boy shook his head, "Keegan?"

"Yeah, that sounds like fun," she smiled.

"Awesome," Jamie beamed. "We're all gonna meet in the parking lot in about twenty minutes." She grabbed Chris' hand and pulled him out the door.

"Babe where-"

"C'mon. We have to go talk to Christy."

Alex watched as Keegan ran a hand through her scarlet hair; the pieces fell back to frame her face and brush against her cheek as his hand had done just minutes before.

"I'm not gonna do it," she spoke up.

"Really?"

"You don't wanna do it, so I'm gonna tell Mick no."

"Don't do it for me, if you think it would be a good idea then take the opportunity."

"Do you know you're hopelessly confusing? I just made this decision thinking of you like you've been after me to and now you tell me not to do anything for you. What do you want me to do Alex? I'm trying to show that I like you here, do you really think I would've even asked your opinion if I didn't care about you?"

Keegan crossed her arms over her chest as she challenged him.

"'Cause if you do, then you don't me as well as you'd like to think you do." Keegan left the locker room and headed down the hall toward the catering area.

Alex sighed as he began transferring things from his locker to his bag. So much for the whole compromising thing.


	13. Chapter 13

~Here's the next chapter guys, I told you I didn't forget about this one. As always I don't own anyone you recognize from TNA, only Keegan and her group of friends are mine. Any similarities are unintentional. I'm not sure if anyone out there is still reading this story, but if you are I really would love some feedback. If no one is gonna review this then I might take a break from it for a while and concentrate on other stories. Please let me know what you guys are thinking. Reviews mean the world and I appreciate any and all of them. Thanks for the support :)~

~Chapter 13~

Alex yawned as he watched Chris walk back to the car. The blonde had gone in to pay for gas and gather supplies for the last leg of their journey back to Orlando. The house show in Miami had gone well, no mess ups or injuries; however the 4hour drive home was another issue. Chris delved inside the black plastic bag as soon as the door was shut. He pulled out 2 energy drinks and a bag of Swedish Fish. He handed the first drink to Alex, popped the top on second drink, and then ripped open the gummy candy. Alex set his beverage in the cup holder and pulled out of the otherwise empty parking lot.

"Dude, look what I got," Chris said, a red fish hanging between his teeth. He held up a magazine.

"What's that?" Alex questioned wearily.

"_Scoop_ _Magazine_. Guess who's on the cover."

"Please tell me it's Lindsay Lohan."

"Nope. It's actually a good picture of you bro."

"Fuck me!" The younger boy banged on the steering wheel. "What does it say this time?"

"The picture is from last week when we left the restaurant; hey me and Jamie are in the background."

"Dude, focus please. Is there an article?"

The blonde flipped the cover open and scanned the table of contents.

"Yup. Pages 43-44," he turned to the place in the magazine and he began reading the text.

"_Last Thursday night Keegan Malloy was seen coming out of popular local eatery in downtown Orlando. The sexy young starlet has been seen all over town on the arm of a dark and handsome mystery man. But this stranger may not be as mysterious as we think. Keegan isn't the only famous one in this dynamic new couple. Her man is none other than TNA wrestler Alex Shelley. TNA wrestling is based in Orlando filming at Universal Studios, Keegan's next feature film will be for that very same studio. The actress has been seen at several live wrestling events proudly wearing a t-shirt sporting Shelley's tag team name and logo. Although her camp is denying any romantic involvement, our sources tell us that the pro-wrestler has already managed to put her heart in a choke hold. They have been photographed leaving Addiction together and it's reported that Keegan regularly shows up early and hangs out backstage at the TNA shows. Will this unlikely pairing be able to dodge the steel chair shots or will they be forced to tap out? Your guess is as good as ours, we'll just have to wait and see how this one plays out."_

Chris scrunched his nose at the story, "who writes that crap?"

Alex groaned cursing himself again. "This is crazy, none of us said anything. What sources could they possibly have?"

"None, they never do."

"Yeah but that won't matter to people. My mother still thinks I've been keeping this huge fucking 'Gone with the Wind' romance from her."

"Gone with the Wind?"

"Yeah… ya know Rhett and Scarlett… Never mind. Jeez if it isn't a cartoon or a monster movie you just don't bother do ya?"

"Nope," Chris replied taking another Swedish Fish out of the bag.

Alex rolled his eyes and opened his beverage. And to think the blonde beside him was the older of them. He chuckled to himself and hit the CD button on the radio.

~xxx~

The alarm clock next to Alex's bed screamed at him announcing the ungodly hour. He hit the snooze button and pulled the covers up over his head. The gym down the block was waiting for him, but he just couldn't face it yet. He groaned when the clock went off again; he begrudgingly got up this time. He was already in track pants so he picked his shirt up off the floor and threw it on. He headed to the kitchen, glaring at Chris' closed door. He mixed up a protein shake for breakfast then with a yawn went to grab his gym bag and a hoodie.

Chilly early morning gray greeted him as he walked out of his building. He pulled his hood up before turning left down the sidewalk toward the local gym he frequented and Chris made rare visits to. It just didn't seem fair; the blonde didn't have to put nearly as much effort into maintaining his physique. Alex couldn't wait for the day his high metabolism finally deserted him.

Alex smiled at the girl behind the front desk. "Morning Kristen."

"Hey," the petite brunette replied looking over her day planner. "Chris didn't get up this morning?"

"Him get out of bed before noon," Alex scoffed.

The Pilates instructor chuckled as she erased something in her book. "Tell me about it. Three people have already dropped out of my morning class."

"Ridiculous. Who wouldn't want to come do weird stretches at the ass crack of dawn?"

"Seriously," Kristen retorted.

Alex snickered and made his way to the locker room. He shoved his bag into his rented cubby and went back out to the front. He liked stretching by the eastern window near the back of the gym so he could watch the sun rise. He nodded at a few of the regulars already working out on his way. He shoved his ear buds in and turned his I-pod to shuffle.

He took a deep breath as he finished his warm up; he moved on to the tread mill. Just as he was about to push in his information he felt a tap on his shoulder. He removed his ear buds, turning around to find a group of girls huddled around him.

"Um… Hi," he waved awkwardly.

"You're Alex Shelley," the one who tapped him proclaimed.

"Why yes," he smiled proudly.

"You're dating Keegan Malloy. I love her; she's so pretty and I think she's a great actress. Do you think I could have your autograph?"

Alex's ego burst like a water balloon, his shoulders slumping under the explosion.

"We're just friends. You shouldn't believe everything you hear."

"But there are pictures of you two kissing on the internet. And she's always at your wrestling shows," one of the other girls spoke up.

"We're kissing?" Alex demanded. "That's impossible. What web site is this on?"

"A bunch, mostly on the ."

"Well here's a scoop; Keegan and I have never kissed anywhere let alone somewhere where someone could get a picture. You shouldn't read trash like that."

"Oh. Well is she going to be at your show this week? We really want to meet her."

"I don't know, she's very busy," Alex's patience was wearing thin. He pushed his way through the cluster of girls escaping into the men's locker room. He grabbed his stuff and hurried for the exit. He completely ignored Kristen as he slammed the door behind him.

He pulled his phone out and hit the last button on his speed dial. It rang and rang; he couldn't understand why she wasn't answering, then he realized what time it was. Feeling sheepish he was about to hang up when a breathless voice greeted him.

"H- Hello?"

Alex scrunched his nose in confusion; the voice was too insipid, too plain to be Keegan's "Britt?"

"What?" The female on the other end demanded. "Who is this?"

He heard the voice slur the end of the sentence and an immediate bomb of apprehension exploded in his stomach. "Where's Keegan?"

"She's a little busy at the moment…. Stop it! Some boy…Hey!"

Alex's nerves grew worse when all he could hear was shuffling.

"Can I help you?" an arrogant male demanded.

"Where the hell is Keegan? Who are you?"

"Where's Keegs at?" The unknown party shouted into the background.

Alex gritted his teeth together; if someone didn't answer him soon he was going to go crazy.

"Hold up, is this Shelley?" The voice finally asked.

"Yes, where's Keegan?"

"Um… hold on second. Merrick's getting her."

Alex was suddenly dropping straight down the world's tallest roller coaster; his stomach did not enjoy the trip. If Merrick was involved he could only imagine what condition the young actress was in. There was a loud bang and he had to pull the phone away from his ear for a few seconds. Finally he heard someone pick up again.

"Asshole," a velvety voice hissed. "Who's seriously calling me right now?"

"How many pills have you taken tonight?" He threw at her.

"Who are you a cop? It's none of your damn business. If you got up to harass me you've wasted your time."

"Where are you? Addiction's gotta be closed by now."

"I'm lying in Chase's bed," she purred and Alex could picture her snuggling down into the pillows. "Where are you?"

"Leaving the gym, we have a problem. And how messed up are you right now?"

"Not enough to where I can't function," she replied.

Alex rolled his eyes; he could feel a migraine biting at the back of his skull. It was just too damn early to deal with all this right now.

"Listen, we need to talk, can you please call me when you get home."

"Why can't we talk now?"

"Because you're clearly engaged and I don't really wanna have to explain it all to you again."

"I said I'm fine. What's your damage?"

"My damage is that you're seriously on the phone right now," Chase yelled in the back.

"Shut up," she demanded. "Umph… Get off!"

"I'm trying to but you won't get off the damn phone," the billion dollar play boy's voice was suddenly right in Alex's ear.

"Sage is on your other side, try again Romeo."

A pair of ice blue eyes narrowed as the songstress began pulling Chase toward her. "Leave her to cater to the riff-raff; she obviously needs the ego boost or something."

Alex heard Keegan scoff before she replied with, "Even as you lay here completely desperate he was on top of me first."

"And look who he's under now. Close the door on your way out doll, unless you wanna hear him scream _my_ name."

"I'm good."

"Not as good as me," was sneered viciously.

Alex heard a door slam and then it was silent.

"Sorry," she finally breathed into the phone. "You were saying?"

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Chase isn't anything I can't handle."

"I'm not sure that's comforting," he replied noticing that the background noise had died out.

"Why did you call me at the break of dawn? Do you miss me that much?"

"I evoke my right to silence at that question. On to matters at hand, there are supposed pictures up on the internet of us kissing."

"What?! That's the big fucking crisis? Oh my god, there are pictures up on the internet of me kissing every male celebrity in the world."

"I know that, but Foley is still on my ass, and these supposed pictures aren't helping our cause."

"I didn't know we had a cause," he could hear the smirk in her voice.

"I'm serious Kam, I don't want storylines spilling over into my personal life, or vice versa. I just wanna keep this separate from everything we do… "

"It's kinda like having this secret club you don't wanna let anybody else into," she replied.

"Something like that."

"I'll tell Britt to make the website take the pictures down. They're obviously fake so it shouldn't be a problem."

"Thank-you," he smiled.

"No problem Trix."

"Did you have fun last night? It sounds like you did."

"Is that a genuine question or the opening lines to a speech I'm gonna hang up on?"

"An honest question."

"Well then yes I had fun. I'll spare you the gory details."

"Oh no, should I avoid the morning papers?"

Keegan chuckled softly in his ear. "No, I wasn't that bad; no lap dances, drunken fights, or unflattering pictures of me this time. I maintained."

"Good, you haven't been to bed yet though have you?"

"One step at a time Shelley."

"Fair enough. Are you coming tonight?"

"No I can't tonight; the main cast has a wardrobe and make –up meeting at the studio."

"Oh," disappointment crept into his tone, "it's been a busy week for you."

"Yeah, pre production's really picking up. How'd your show go last night?"

"Pretty good, we decided to bring the 'Made in Detroit' back. People always pop for that."

"That's the combo move with the power bomb right?"

"Yeah," he smiled proudly. "And here I thought watching all those old tapes would only bore you."

"Only when you kept rewinding them to watch the same parts over again," she rejoindered.

Alex sniggered, "I told you we were studying. It's the same when you run lines endlessly."

Keegan denied any comparison as the conversation continued. The wrestler and the actress remained on the phone for longer than either realized. When Alex went back up to the apartment Chris was menacing the coffee maker, blonde hair sticking up everywhere. The brunette laughed and snapped the image with his phone storing it in the 'future myspace pics' folder. Chris idly flipped him off.

~xxx~

The Impact Zone was surprisingly quiet, and Alex sighed in relief when he and Chris made it to their locker room without getting accosted. James Storm had seemingly made it his life's mission to throw magazines and newspapers in Alex's face, but he was nowhere to be found this week. The Guns set their bags down on the bench and decided to check out the catering area. They settled down beside Jay, Jeremy, and Creed; listening to the three debate just who the most bad ass movie bad guy was.

"Dude," Creed cut Jay off mid word, "Michael Meyers is not scary; he doesn't even run after anybody!"

"He does in Rob Zombie's," the other half of Lethal Consequences argued.

"You didn't say anything about including remakes, and that doesn't count 'cause the character is still based off the lamest villain ever."

"Are you serious right now?! Freddy Krueger isn't even real in his movies; he can only get you in your dreams. LAAAMMMME!"

"That's what so scary though… You eventually have to go to sleep."

"You both picked gay bad guys," Jeremy interrupted. "Two words… Jig. Saw."

"Jigsaw?" The tag team partners scrunched their faces at his suggestion.

"He's like legit scary. He fucks with your mind and makes _you_do all the crazy shit. That's much scarier than a slow ass bitch with a William Shatner mask and some ugly dream Wolverine wannabe," the blonde Canadian defended in his raspy voice. "Guys back me up here."

Alex and Chris looked at each other before shaking their heads.

"Jigsaw's kinda weak bro," Chris said. "He's like dying of cancer and in a wheel chair, and if you win his game he lets you go. And he dies in the middle of his movie series. He just doesn't fill me with terror."

"You wann talk scary, you gotta talk real people and real what ifs," Alex picked up, "None of them are that scary 'cause you know it's all fake. There is no Freddy Krueger, or Michael Meyers, or Jigsaw. But there was a Charlie Manson so in turn Alex DeLarge is scary, the three people in The Strangers is scary, Max Cady is fucking terrifying."

"Who?" All four wrestlers interrupted at the same time.

"Max Cady…Robert Mitchum in Cape Fear… A convict escapes and goes after the prosecuting lawyer's wife and kid in their house," Alex tried to explain.

Four blank stares looked back at him.

"You had me at The Strangers bro," Jeremy stated.

"Where do you rent your movies from Shelley?" Creed asked with a snicker.

"There were movies made before the 1980s guys… Man broaden your horizons a little would ya?"

"It's not our fault that we don't have a gorgeous actress that makes us watch movies that are like 100 years old," Jay retorted.

"Yeah well damn maybe you should get one 'cause you're missing out. And it was made in 1962."

"Is that how the Classic Movie Channel got programmed into the box at home?" Chris asked with a smirk.

"Yes," Alex nodded proudly. "There was a Cary Grant marathon on last week."

"Oh boy, Keegan's got you whipped already."

Alex started to protest but a pair of slender arms encircled Chris' neck and Jamie rested her chin on the blonde's shoulder.

"Hey guys," she smiled. "what's up?"

"We're discussing the possibility of Alex's brain being switched by aliens," Creed replied.

The knockout quirked an eyebrow. "Well knowing Alex I'd say it was more likely that a zombie probably ate it."

The X-division stars chuckled and Alex couldn't help but smile as he rolled his eyes.

"And this is why I adore this lady," Chris stated kissing Jamie's cheek.

The pretty girl from the Beautiful People giggled and moved to take a seat by Chris. "Scripts should be coming around soon. Word on the street is that Don West is being ousted from the broadcast table."

"What?!"

"No way!"

Jamie nodded. "Yup. He's gonna work strictly on fan access behind the scenes now, JB told me."

"Well he would know." Alex commented. "So who's replacing West?"

"It's a management secret, I don't even think it's finalized yet, but whoever it is he wouldn't tell me."

"Damn. That kinda sucks." Creed pushed his glasses back up his nose.

As they wondered who would join Mike Tenay at the broadcast table from now on scripts were handed out by the techs. Each wrestler flipped through the schedule of the matches. Creed and Jay groaned when they saw that their match would be a dark match again this week. Jeremy was approaching Sting in a segment that would lead to a heel turn in the future months. The Guns were stoked to read that they would be working with Beer Money again, situating themselves more firmly in the title picture. TNA management kept promising them in just a few more months they'd finally get their shot. The Beautiful People were attacking Taylor Wilde again; Jamie rolled her eyes. She couldn't wait for the new knockout tag belts to be instituted, and looked forward to the new female wrestlers that were supposed to be joining the roster.

"Hold it," Alex suddenly snatched the script from Chris. "'Backstage segment finds Alex Shelley on cell phone discussing his disappointment on _someone_ not being at the show.' Yeah and I wonder just who they mean. Fuck this I'm going to see Foley."

"Dude, can you please not piss him off," Chris jumped up in front of his partner. "Let's not rock the boat so close to our title shot."

"You know _someone_means Keegan and you know I don't want the titles like this."

"And you know how backstage politics are. Just let Creative have this one. You don't have to mention her name. You could be talking to anybody."

Alex glared at the blonde. "Everybody is going to assume it's her. This is just an underhanded attempt to use her after she turned down their offer. I'm not going to do it. I can't believe you'd agree to this shit, they don't think we can do it on our own."

"I get what you're saying bro, but c'mon. She's not the only reason; she's just a bit of an incentive. Why should we throw this away, let's just get the belts and then prove them wrong."

"I got a better idea, let's broadcast your relationship with Jamie all over and then use her to get management to push us."

"If they'd rather do that I'm all for it, but they want you and Keegan."

Alex's eyes widened at his friend's desperation to be a puppet; but then the color darkened and he glowered at the older boy. "Screw them and screw you."

"'Lex," Jamie called after him as he stalked out of catering.

"Damn it," Chris swore. "He's gonna ruin everything."

Jamie spun around to stare at the former X-division champion. Her adorable pout had morphed into a thin tight line and her usual sparkling hazel eyes were narrowed at the oblivious blonde.

"Really Chris? Really?"

"Wha?" He asked innocently.

"I might be able to see how that push and those belts could be more important to you than me; but for them to mean more to you then your best friend..." Jamie shook her head. "Not only that, but the fact that you're willing to sell the both of you so short. You don't need Keegan Malloy, and I don't believe you're okay with using someone else like that… Not to mention using Alex like that."

"Babe," he fumbled after her while she walked away from him too. He turned to the boys sitting at the table. "What'd I do?"

They kinda half shrugged and looked at each other.

"Well…. I mean I can see why they're so mad," Creed began. "Alex doesn't wanna draw more attention to him and Keegan, plus he doesn't want her in a bad situation."

"Okay, she's on like 80 magazine covers just for walking down the street, he needs to get over this whole being shy thing, and what bad situation? She's not in danger or anything."

"Seriously," Jay spoke up. "You don't get anywhere in any business if you don't capitalize on opportunities, especially this one. And Keegan's already put herself in this situation by being in the crowd with a Guns shirt on."

"Thank you!" Chris replied. "I'm not asking him to do anything that she hasn't already asked for."

"It is kind of a cheap way out though. I mean you guys were doing just fine without Keegan, she doesn't make you better wrestlers or a better team. She's not even involved in TNA, so why would you want her to determine your title reign?" Jeremy retorted. "I hear what you guys are saying; definitely take any and all opportunities you're presented with, but if the opportunities are given for superficial reasons, are they really worth it? And you and Alex are a team man, he's your boy, you gotta have his back regardless."

"I don't blame him for being upset either," Creed added. "He knows you guys don't need Keegan's fame to get ahead. Plus he cares about her man, he's not gonna sell her or their relationship out like that."

Chris sighed heavily. He raked his hand through his hair as he admitted they were right. The Guns deserved the tag belts because of their in ring performance, not because Alex Shelley happened to be seeing Keegan Malloy.

"They woulda looked so good on us though," he muttered.

"Where are you going?" Jay asked as Chris stood up.

"To Foley's office. I'm gonna tell him to shove his offer, apologize to Alex, then go grovel until Jamie forgives me."

"Good luck."

Chris marched into Mick Foley's office forgoing the formality of knocking.

"Foley he's right we don't need…" His blue eyes got huge when he found an original from another company sitting in the chair opposite the desk. His head turned and Chris saw his own reflection in the man's orange sunglasses.

"Sabin, what the hell are you doing in here?" Mick demanded. "Haven't you ever heard of knocking? Get out!"

"Ah… I'm sorry, I thought Alex was in here."

"He was and I told him to get lost too. God, if you two say a word about this I swear you'll be jobbing to Awesome Kong for the rest of your lives."

"No Mick, I won't say anything. I'm sorry." Chris backed out of the office. "I'll knock next time."

The older Machine Gun found his partner in their locker room. Alex was unloading things from his duffel bag into his locker room.

"Hey," Chris broached quietly.

"'Sup," was tossed back but Alex refused to look at him.

"Look man, I'm sorry," Chris rubbed at the back of his neck. "I get what you're saying and you're right. But you can't blame me for wanting the belts. They've been promising then putting us off for months now, and then Keegan came along and they just wanted to drop the belts in our lap. I just finally wanted what we deserve man."

"I know," Alex sighed. "I thought about it too in the beginning, but I just can't do that to her. She's not as tough as she wants everyone to think she is."

"I'm pretty sure Keegan could hold her own, but it's kinda cute that you wanna spare her."

"Bite me, you'd wanna protect Jamie." Alex rejoindered.

"Yeah, I would, I just hope she'll listen when I tell her that."

"Don't forget to get down on your knees and she may consider it."

Chris snickered, "yeah. But I am sorry bro. I shoulda had your back regardless."

"It's cool, you're here now. Late is better than never."

After a thoughtful nod, Chris' eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. "Dude, did you see who was in Foley's office?"

"Holy shit yeah," Alex beamed. "He's gotta be West's replacement, I can't wait to see how they're gonna work this out."

"I know, aww man it's gonna be cool."


	14. Chapter 14

~Here's chapter 14. As usual I don't own anything or anybody associated with TNA. Jackson Peters and Keegan are mine. _The Morning of_ own themselves and the song "An Unseen Direction". Any similarities are accidental. I'm kinda proud of this chapter so please review and tell me what you guys think of it. Reviews really help me and they keep me motivated to write more. Honesty is the best policy so if you hate something speak up..... Anyway, I hope you like this. Please review. Thanks~

~Chapter 14~

A camera was set up in the Guns' locker room ready to tape "the cell phone segment". Chris ambled inside just before they were ready to start.

"You get it?" Alex inquired.

"Yup," the older blonde nodded. "You ready?"

"Let's sell it man."

"Chris, could you get out of the shot please?" The techie asked.

"Sorry," he smirked and backed up against the wall.

"Okay, ready Alex…. And action." He pointed to the wrestler as the camera's red light came on.

Alex glanced down at his phone and sighed heavily. He raked his hand through his hair and sat down on the bench. He studied the gadget for a second; but the scene was suddenly interrupted as Chris loudly opened and closed the locker room door.

He ignored the signals and looks of shock from the crew as he marched right into the camera's view.

"No calls yet?" He plopped himself down beside his partner.

"Not yet," Alex shook his head as their plan began to pan out. "Maybe we should advertise more."

"Like a commercial," Chris suggested.

"Yeah, like a commercial."

The Guns kept eye contact for a moment before both turned and mugged for the camera.

"Hi," Chris began in a cheesy late night infomercial voice. "Have you ever needed someone cool to hang out with in a pinch? Or maybe just needed some work around the house done? Well then look no further. The Motor City Machine Guns are at your service."

"That's right," Alex didn't miss a beat. "We're great at breaking in couch cushions, or anything else for that matter. And we're giving our fans the opportunity to hire us for a day. We'll show up for a large fee and be yours for the rest of the day. We'll do anything and everything you can think of. You come up with the game plan and we'll be happy to execute it."

"Nothing is off limits," Chris added, "as long as you've got the cash, we've got the time."

"That's right, don't be afraid to open those check books or those minds. We're partial to video games, action movies, cool music, dirty magazines…"

"But we'll do anything you want; our time is your time.

"And that's not all!" Alex shouted.

"There's more?!"

"Oh yes. There's more," Alex grabbed the package that Chris had snuck down by their feet.

"Not only do you get the most amazing tag team in wrestling today," the boys grinned at the camera, "but we will also include a free ShamWow with every order."

"A free ShamWow with every order? Can we even do that?" Chris asked dramatically raising his palm to his cheek.

"Well I just said it, so we better be able to deliver," Alex replied. "Here's the number, get your phones out kids. 1-800-MCMG. Make sure to have all credit cards, money orders, or other form of payment at time of call, operators will be standing by."

"And don't forget your free ShamWowbaby!" Chris held up the product, grinning obnoxiously. "That's 1-800-MCMG!"

"Call now!" Alex added pointing directly at the camera winking in an overtly cheesy gesture.

The tech cut the camera feed when it was clear the guys were done. Some of the crew was laughing quietly; if this was the Guns' last T.V. appearance for a while at least a few people had liked it.

"What the hell was that?" The head of segment productions demanded. "That was not what was in the script!"

"Really?" Alex feigned shock. "That's what was in the script we got."

"I read it with my own two eyes," Chris said much too innocently.

"No no no. It was supposed to be Alex on his phone talking to Keeg- Talking to _someone_ about not being here."

A pair of brown eyes narrowed darkly at the slip. Alex tensed his jaw dangerously.

"You go back and tell the Creative Department that if they insist on trying to pull this shit after _she_ turned them down, they might as well not book any more segments for us 'cause this is how they're all gonna go."

"Yeah," Chris stepped up behind his partner, "if they're not gonna give us material that reflects us and our team then we're just gonna come up with our own."

"They're not going to like this. Mr. Jarrett expects the script to be followed; he doesn't like it went things get thrown off." The production head tried to sound authoritative but the anger he saw in a certain pair of very dark eyes was making his brave veneer quite transparent.

"And I don't like it when we don't get the respect we deserve. I expect that from now on you'll leave Keegan and my personal life out of your scripts."

A throat cleared from the doorway, and everyone looked up to see who had interrupted the tense atmosphere. The founder of TNA himself was leaning casually against the inside of the door frame.

"Hey guys," he greeted in his unmistakable southern drawl. "Alex, Chris could I talk to you for a second."

Chris gulped loudly. Silently cursing his life he began to think over his career. "Well, I had a good run here…. I'll miss all the guys."

"Jeff look," Alex spoke up, "the cell phone thing just wasn't going to happen. I'm sorry, but I won't let Creative use my personal relationships, besides Keegan turned your offer down."

"I know she did, and that's fine. It was her choice." Jeff watched as the camera crew finished packing up their gear and made sure they had all gone before he moved into the locker room. Taking a seat on the bench he continued, "But what you did here tonight is not okay. I get where you're coming from Alex and I don't blame you one bit. You and Keegan have enough complications with her life, you don't need any more. But with that said, you can't just go changing things in a live broadcast without letting someone know."

"I've been letting them know that I wouldn't participate in anything like this," Alex replied. "This is all Foley's idea-"

"No, it isn't. Mick brought the idea up and the management team said it sounded like a good angle. When Keegan said no, we had to come up with a new plan; we're in the middle of that now."

"So until you guys come up with something else you're just going to keep working this stupid phone call thing. How does this progress anything?"

"It keeps you two on T.V. and on people's minds until we find another angle. No one said you had to drop her name Alex, you could be talking to anybody."

Chris felt a little bit of pride when he heard his earlier argument come out of their bosses' mouth, but his stomach was still residing in the soles of his feet as he waited for him to say 'thanks for playing boys now clean out your lockers'.

"You know that everyone is going to assume that it's Keegan." Alex fired back.

"So let them. It'll be more of a surprise when it's revealed that it's not."

Alex rolled his eyes. "That defeats the whole purpose."

He tried to say more but Jeff cut him off. "And selling ShamWowson my dime is progress? What did that accomplish?"

Alex finally felt like a scolded child and dropped his defiant expression. Shrugging he answered, "We didn't have much time, it's what we came up with."

"Mm-hm. Well next time think harder."

Chris' ears perked. Next time? They weren't getting fired?

"That was brilliant!" Mick Foley swung the door open. He was clutching a handful of papers. "Oh Jeff there you are. I was looking for you. Look at these, e-mails form tna. com already. The fans loved their commercial; we might have to set up something with that number they gave out."

"What?"

"Yeah, take a look." Mick thrust the papers under the founder's nose.

"Well I'll be…"

"As long as you guys lose the ShamWow bit at the end we might be able to run with this," Mick affirmed.

"Hmm… I wonder," Jeff pondered. "Maybe we could go on locations with this. Like make it a weekly thing."

"Culminating with what we were talking about earlier," the hardcore legend added.

"Ya know something that could work…. Yeah." Double J nodded, "Good job boys, we'll talk later alright."

The TNA founder and the executive share holder left with their heads bowed together looking over the e-mails.

Chris heaved a sigh of relief and fell onto the bench.

"What do you think they meant by that?" Alex wondered.

"Dude, I'm just glad we kept our jobs. I don't care what they were talking about. We'll find out next week I imagine."

"I guess." Alex sat down beside his friend. "Thanks for going there with me. I know we coulda gotten in some shit for that."

Chris shrugged, "took me long enough to have your back, figured I should stick it out."

Alex smiled at the blonde.

"Dude, you are my heterosexual life mate, I mean c'mon now. I'm not gonna let go down with the ship all by yourself."

He laughed and shoved Chris' shoulder. "I never did get my card douchebag."

"This wasn't enough of a display for you? I was willing to go stand in the unemployment line with you man."

"Yeah ok." Alex stretched up toward the ceiling. His back still sore from the earlier match with Beer Money, finally started to unwind but he was seriously looking forward to a very hot shower. "I'm about to head out, you going to find Jamie?"

Chris sighed again for an entirely different reason. "Yeah. I might need a ride back with you though so don't bail right away okay?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna take a shower and stuff so," he nodded then got up and began to gather his things.

"Wish me luck."

"Don't forget to get on your knees."

Chris sucked in a breath and marched down the hall. Alex chuckled after him and went to the showers.

~xxx~

As soon as Alex pulled his t-shirt over his head a familiar tone told him he had a text message.

He opened the envelope and a picture popped up. Keegan was dressed in a knee length black pencil skirt, and a purple blouse cinched at the waist. It looked like was made out of soft cotton. A strand of pearls adorned her neck and her hair was curled at the ends and parted on the side. Her lips were rouged, and the rest of her make-up very subtle. She reminded Alex of someone in a forgotten era. There was a message along the bottom of the picture.

_Meet Delilah Reed… Do I look like I lived in the 1940s?_

He looked up to the picture again and had to agree. Keegan definitely looked like she had gone back in time.

_Yeah you really do. Wow. You like it?_

He set his phone aside to place a few more things in his duffel bag. He finished zipping it up when his phone went off again.

_Yeah I do. I get to wear lots of cool stuff. I can't wait to start shooting it's gonna be fun :) _

Alex typed a response. _Good. It sounded pretty cool when I helped you go over lines._

A second later he got her answer. _Come over later. I want to see you. _

He couldn't help the smile that invaded his mouth, and he texted her back asking when she'd be done at the studio.

_I'll be home around 11:45_

_:) _

He closed his phone then went to check the knockouts locker room for Chris. Alex rapped on the door, a moment later Christy Hemme appeared in its place.

"Hey 'Lex," she smiled.

"Hey Red. You seen Chris around here?"

The saucy girl chuckled slightly. "He was around trying to talk to Jamie. I don't know what he did but she was pretty pissed off. He finally barged in here threw her over his shoulder and hauled her away. I haven't seen either one of them sense."

Alex laughed and decided that his friend probably had his own ride home by now.

"Thanks, I'll see ya later."

As he turned to go Christy caught his arm. "Hey, that skit you did tonight, it was pretty funny. You guys get in trouble for it?"

"I don't think so. Jarrett came in to talk to us but then Foley ran in with e-mails from the fans. People seemed to like it so they're cooking something up with Creative."

Christy nodded, some her bangs falling out of her loose ponytail. "I think it's sweet that you did that for her. You really like her don't you?"

Alex felt heat rise to his cheeks and he quickly ducked his head to hide the blush. Christy giggled at him but her smile was very warm.

"Good. I wouldn't wait too much longer to tell her 'Lex. She really likes you too and I kinda think it's a feeling she's not accustomed to, so don't give her a chance to scare herself out of the right choice okay."

The information hit him square in the chest; a tiny gasp falling out of the corner of his mouth. But then Christy's words seemed to sober him up and he nodded determinedly.

"Thanks for the advice Red. I think you're right, it's about time one of us say something. And knowing Keegan it'll have to be me."

Her blue eyes twinkled at his declaration. "Good luck," she beamed.

~xxx~

Alex called Chris' phone and left a message when he didn't answer. He threw his bag into the trunk of his car and headed across town to Keegan's cottage. He stopped and grabbed a bit of dinner on the way trying to kill some time as he waited for 11:45. He finally pulled up to the iron gate surrounding her house just a few minutes before midnight. He pushed the call button on the side of her security box and waited for her to open the gate from inside. The huge doors swung back and he went up the driveway. There was a black Porsche parked outside; he groaned as he imagined who it belonged to. He walked up the marble steps to the oak door and rang the bell.

Keegan greeted him a second later. Her hair and make-up were still as they'd been in the picture she'd sent him, but now she was in a pair of black yoga pants and her Kill Hannah tank top.

"Hey," he breathed out, too mesmerized by the sight of her to do much else.

She gave him his favorite smile, the real one, the one that fit her like a warm comfortable sweater. "Hi."

"How are you?"

"Good. How are you, how was your match?"

"It went well, we didn't get to go over, but we definitely stole the show."

"You always do," she quipped.

"Well we do try," he replied sarcastically rubbing imaginary dirt off his nails.

A loud meow drew their attention away from each other as they looked down. Salinger was rubbing against Keegan's legs, and then he pranced in toward the kitchen.

"He's hungry. I was just about to feed him when you rang the bell. C'mon in."

Alex followed the actress in, toeing off his sneakers at the door. There was a pair of gray chucks already sitting on the small throw rug. Curious he joined Keegan in the kitchen. A tall well built guy was sitting in the middle chair of the island. His ink black hair was styled in a long ago fashion, slicked back and parted at the side. He glanced over his shoulder and his eyes widened. Turning in his seat he threw a casual smile in Alex's direction.

"Hey, you're Alex Shelley… Wow."

The young wrestler was not prepared for this; he had expected a frosty introduction like he'd gotten with Merrick and Gemini.

"Hi. Um… yeah, nice to meet you…"

"Jackson Peters," he nodded extending his hand.

"Oh." Alex shook his hand and suddenly knew why this was guy looked so familiar. "Oh dude, you're from that show, you play the guy in the band. You're the prophet."

"Yeah. You watch _Infinity_?" Jackson sat up a little straighter a proud smile graced his boyishly handsome face.

"It's my roommate's favorite show; we watch it like every week when we're home."

"Really? Awesome. I love TNA, you and Sabin are sick man."

Alex's chest puffed a little, and he smiled as he took a seat next to the young actor.

"Thanks man. Your show's pretty bad ass; you do all your own stunts right?"

"All the ones they'll let me do. I can't wait for next season; we're finally going to get to film more battles. It's gonna be so cool."

"So then you must get your full powers?" Alex asked remembering the details of the show.

"Yup. Well now that I've found my key more of powers will unlock."

"Can I ask you something?"

"No, I'm not really gay," Jackson foresaw the question. "I just play a gay character on the show."

Keegan chuckled as she replaced the water in Salinger's bowl. Alex watched only half amazed as she took a bottle out of the fridge and filled the blue bowl with _Figi_ water.

"He won't drink tap water?"

"He prefers this," she answered fixing him with a look that dared him to ridicule her.

Alex just shook his head; but he stayed quiet. Instead he looked back to Jackson.

"Do you like cats?"

He chuckled, "they're okay. Salinger's a character though."

Keegan smiled at the cat as he happily ate his dinner. "Yes he is."

"So how was the meeting? I liked the picture you sent me."

"You sent a picture? Didn't you read the fine print; no photos are to be released unless they're press photos. Oh my god…." Jackson smirked.

"We definitely don't have to worry about Alex selling it to a magazine," Keegan rolled her eyes.

"I can't believe they made us sign a contract; that was crazy."

"It was more for me than anyone else. Anyone working on this picture that gets any sort of bad press will be severely reprimanded and possibly kicked off the project," Keegan explained to Alex. "You should be rather pleased with that actually."

He didn't even try to hide his gladness. "If this is what it takes."

"His idea of fun and my idea are quite different."

Jackson nodded. "Well, no offense Keegs, but maybe it wouldn't be so bad to tone it down for this movie. I mean it is a pretty serious role. We gotta go through a lot. These characters grow up a lot."

Alex nearly fell out of his chair. This guy was on his side. This role really could be the role to change Keegan Malloy's life.

"This whole tag team approach is unfair," she simpered. "You're ganging up on me."

"Well maybe you should listen for once," Alex retorted.

Those bewitching green eyes twitched at him; he readied himself for an argument but Keegan merely shrugged.

"We'll see," she proclaimed.

Jackson chuckled. "You're too much Keegs."

She batted her eyelashes coquettishly, "I know."

Jackson shook his head snickering once more. "Well I should get going. We got an early call time at the studio tomorrow."

"Yeah, more fittings," Keegan sighed. "I like all the vintage stuff but it's a pain in the ass to get into."

"Hey, at least you don't have to dump an oil slick on your hair," Jackson reminded.

"You don't have to get strapped into a corset and a slip," she countered.

"Hmm…." He thought it over, "okay, match point. You win that one."

She laughed. "Thought so."

Jackson stood up; he offered Alex his hand again and declared that it was awesome to meet him. Keegan walked him out and Alex heard her laugh at something he said before she closed the door behind him. She returned to the kitchen working hair pins out of her ruby tresses as she went.

"So he's a pretty cool guy," Alex commented.

"He is. I'm glad he got this part."

Alex studied the girl in front of him; this was a side to Keegan that he'd never seen before. She was uncharacteristically serene; no snarky attitude or snide comment. There was no challenge hanging like fog in the air. Alex wasn't sure if he liked this.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, just tired. It's been a long week," she replied as she put some water in the kettle.

"Yeah I guess it has been. When's the last time you even slept?"

Keegan thought for a long moment. "I guess a couple nights ago. The night you left for Miami."

He raised his eyebrows at her, as he tried to imagine losing that much sleep and still being able to function in the world. There were some weeks when he didn't get as much sleep as he would've liked but to get none over the course of days. He sighed to himself wishing he could do something to take her nightmares away. He wondered if she ever slept soundly at night without being disturbed by one of her dreams. The kettle whistled jolting him out of his own thoughts. Keegan turned to prepare her tea and Alex realized that she'd been watching him for those few seconds.

"What?" He asked when she leaned against the island again.

"You're just cute when you get all pensive," she replied, her eyes shimmered with a light all their own.

Alex half chuckled through a gasp of surprise. Keegan smiled as she slipped a piece of lemon in her mug.

"I missed you Trix."

"I missed you too Kam."

Suddenly soft music began floating around the house. Alex tilted his head trying to figure out where it was coming from. Keegan closed her eyes and swayed slightly to the beat of the song.

"How'd you do that?" Alex questioned.

"Salinger played it."

Alex looked down to the food bowls that sat by the pantry; the cat was gone and the dish was empty. He shook his head.

"I don't believe it."

"Baby, baby let me in. Let's throw precaution to the wind," Keegan sang along under her breath.

The young brunette was struck by the lyrics and began to really listen to the song.

"Who is this?" He inquired.

"The Morning of," she said. "I love this song."

Alex listened diligently to the rest of the song and Christy's words played along with the lyrics. He wasn't going to give her the chance to make the wrong choice. When the song was over the music switched and classic violins began to play.

"Ah Tchaikovsky," Keegan sniggered. "So how do you feel about a movie?"

She headed into the living room. Alex followed her; he grabbed her arm after she placed her tea on the table. He spun her around and pulled her in close to him; she fit against him perfectly. Her beautiful emerald eyes went wide as Alex wrapped his other arm around her waist.

"What are you doing?" She demanded breathlessly.

"Throwing precaution to the wind," he replied quietly. "I really like you Keegan and I know you have feelings for me. I wanna know what we're doing here and I want more."

She blinked a few times like she was trying to decipher a strange language. Finally she shook her head.

"No. Let me go," she requested.

"No? What do you mean no?" He slackened his grip but wouldn't take his hand away from her arm.

"I told you Alex, I'm not girlfriend material. I can't give you anything permanent, I don't do plans remember?"

"I'm not asking you to go to dinner Kam, I'm asking you to give us a chance."

"Please don't. My answer is only going to hurt you and that's the last thing I want."

She tried to pull away from him, but he jerked her back into his arms. "Then don't. Shouldn't I get to decide if you're girlfriend material or not?"

"Let me go. I can't do this."

"What are you so afraid Keegan? I obviously care about you or else I wouldn't still be here, why can't you let yourself be with me?" His hand slid up to the nape of her neck.

Her eyes narrowed; he felt her tense, she tried to step back but he wouldn't allow her to walk away again.

"Let go of me right now," she ordered through clenched teeth.

"Does this scare you?" He pulled her into his chest and gently brushed his other hand over her cheek. "But what part are you afraid of? The physical closeness or the vulnerability you're so desperate to hide. I'm too close aren't I Kam? And you're not gonna let me get any further, you won't jump for me?"

"You knew that already," her voice was coiled tight and cold. "I won't jump for anybody. Why would you really be any different?"

"Because you knew that I'd catch you."

Alex watched her eyes glisten in the corners but she quickly blinked it away. He finally released her and took a step back himself.

"Get out," she whispered feebly.

"Keegan-"

"Get out!" She snarled this time, "I don't want you here."

"That's a lie. If you didn't want me here you never would have called. Jackson was here, you had company for the night." Alex's patience was beginning to slip.

"Well I don't want you anymore. Get out… Stay away from me," she had to fight hard to sound so callous and he could see her façade shudder.

He could almost see the little girl inside of Keegan pressing herself back into a corner trying to guard against the world outside. His building resentment evaporated and he became more determined than ever that he would prove to her she was safe now; that she was safe with him.

"Kam please," he reached out and tried to take her hand.

She jerked it free, sneering at the thought. "Don't touch me."

"Fine, then you have to listen to everything I'm about to say."

"I don't wanna hear any of it. You were supposed to be different; you were supposed to get it. I told you that it wouldn't be easy. I thought you could handle it."

"Handle what? Being kept at arm's length without ever getting all of you? That's not fair to either one of us and I care too much about you already to be okay with that. I've put so much on the line for you and you still just shut me out."

Too many things were hitting her all at once; she bit her lip and looked down raking her fingers roughly through her hair. Alex watched her struggle but knew he had to proceed while her defenses were compromised.

"I gave up my privacy for you, my fucking sanity even. I'm not even safe in the gym anymore. I can't walk into work without fielding a dozen questions and magazine covers. Do you know that I almost got Chris and I fired tonight because of you?"

"What?" She finally looked up at him but he couldn't read her eyes. They were flitting between emotions too quickly, they were dark and misty and huge all at the same time.

"Yeah. They wanted to use you to push us so we fucked up a segment on T.V. tonight. We literally could have lost everything, so don't stand there and tell me that you're too afraid of this. That's a cop out."

"I never asked you to do that."

"You didn't have to."

Keegan closed her eyes and turned away from him. She couldn't think straight if she looked at him. Alex marched across the small ocean in between them and spun her back around. He grabbed the back of her neck and crashed his lips down over hers.

She tasted like winter berries; sweet and tangy, crisp and refreshing. She was rigid against him but her mouth seemed to welcome the affection. Her lips were soft against his and they melted together as if they'd done this a thousand time before. His hand crept to her cheek and caressed the downy soft skin, brushing his thumb along her jaw. Reluctantly he broke the kiss. His eyes opened slowly, and for a moment he swore he saw the emerald in hers settle and something bright flash through them. But that was quickly forgotten when she ripped herself out of his embrace and a sharp smack stung his left cheek.

Alex whipped his head back around dumbstruck. "You hit me."

Rage quickly overtook him as he watched her stand there in all her impetuous defiance.

"I fucking spill my heart to you, kiss you, and you fucking hit me." He was advancing on her rapidly; she was conceding ground until she found herself pressed up against the front door trapped as Alex leaned over her on his arms. His palms were flat on either side of her head. He was sucking air in through his nose making his nostrils flare slightly with each expulsion. She held her own breath, waiting to see what he was going to do.

"I swear to God if you ever do that again… What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Maybe I didn't want you to kiss me. I wanted you to leave… you came after me," she floundered.

"I came after you?" He scoffed.

"Yes. I told you to leave," she lifted her chin.

"I've got news for you Keegan Malloy, if I walk out that door right now, I will not be back."

He saw her fidget and worry her bottom lip between her teeth, just as he was about back off and take his leave, her tiny hand tentatively reached up to brush along the stubble on his cheek. His movement froze and his breath caught in his throat. Surprised coco colored eyes caught quivering jade. Keegan stared at him, like she was the one trying to inside of him this time.

"You swear you'll catch me?" She whispered.

"I swear." He vowed. "But you gotta jump for real, no hanging on to anything. This has to be for keeps Kam."

"I can hang onto you right?" She slipped her arm softly around his neck.

"Yeah," he smiled. "Only me though."

She nodded as their lips brushed against each other's again.

"Only you," ghosted over his lips, and then all he knew was the intoxication of her kiss.


	15. Chapter 15

~Here's the next chapter guys.... hope everyone's holidays went okay :) As always I only own the people you don't recognize. The wrestlers are owned by themselves & TNA. I appreciate all the support & reviews. Please keep them coming, I love them. They literally make my day. Keep letting me know what you guys think. Thanks & I hope you like it ^-^~

~Chapter 15~

Alex found himself sitting in the catering area of the Impact Zone a few weeks later nursing a bottle of water and the rest of his tuna salad. It was still pretty early, not many of the guys had arrived yet. Chris was conspicuous by his absence. Alex had seen very little of his tag partner the previous weeks. The older member of the Motor City Machine Guns was busy making things up to a certain Beautiful knockout.

"Hey baby bear."

Alex glanced up and gave Lauren a smile. "Hey Lore. What's up?"

Tucking some of her platinum blonde hair back, she sat down across from him.

"Not much. You looked lonely."

He shook his head, "nah, just enjoying the quiet. How you've been, we haven't talked in a while."

She gave him a tight lipped smile. "Fine I guess. How are things with you?"

"Pretty good. Not gonna lie, I kinda miss Chris. Jamie's been making him work for it man."

Lauren chuckled dryly. "That she is." Her expression faltered again. "So is it true?"

"Is what true?"

"You're officially no longer single?"

He coughed a bit as his water went down the wrong pipe. "Uh…." he spluttered.

Lauren looked away as the blush rose up to his cheeks. "Guess so then," she concluded.

"You and Jeremy making it official yet?" He switched the spotlight to her.

"We went out on a few dates, no big deal," she shrugged. "I'm surprised Keegan agreed to give up her extracurricular boy toys."

Alex felt his left eye twitch slightly; he cocked his head at the former knockout's champion. If she noticed his agitation she didn't seem remorseful. The Canadian pursed her glossy lips and stole the plastic fork, helping herself to some of Alex's lunch.

"So did you lay down the law?" Lauren taunted.

Alex allowed himself to smirk, _almost_ taken aback with the blonde's attitude. "If I tried to tell her not to do anything, she'd just do it out of spite."

Lauren rolled her blue gray eyes, completely missing the boy's scowl.

"But she's trying to get better at respecting boundaries," he said trenchantly with tapered eyes.

She finally sensed the resentment and met it with a cold plastic smile. "Well good. She just doesn't strike me as the type that's good at it though. You better make those boundaries crystal clear baby bear."

Lauren stood gracefully and strode purposefully away. Alex growled under his breath and shoved the food across the table. He suddenly needed a cigarette.

~xxx~

The Motor City Machine Guns prepared to shoot their commercial segment for this week. The fans were really responding to the funny skits and the Creative department was thinking up some pretty entertaining things for them to do. Mike Tenay "hired" them one week to call a match with him since Don West was a "no show" to the broadcast table. They both had fun with that project. Dr. Stevie hired them next to end Abyss' career. That bout had been intense, and the crowd had been into it cheering for both competitors. They didn't get to win but they worked a good match. This week Chris was going to interview the knockouts while Alex operated the camera to shoot the vignette. As much as he'd anticipated getting to play camera man he was less than pleased with the subjects. The Guns were working with The Beautiful People. Chris was excited about the scene; Alex had to remind himself to remain professional. He kept up his arrogant disrespectful persona and made sure to zoom in on the girl's well presented chests, Chris held the microphone low and as close to the targeted area as possible. Finally, Angelina Love took notice. She bent down to put her face in the shot.

"Ahem! I'm up here," she pointed to her flawless features. "Let's try to keep up, shall we boys." She flipped some of her blonde hair over her shoulder.

"Seriously," Velvet Sky jumped in. "Who even said you could talk to us?" She snatched the microphone out of Chris' hand and shoved him away. "Angelina and I are serious athletes."

Alex and Chris erupted into exaggerated laughter.

"Athlete," the makeshift camera man scoffed. "Sure, if you say so blondie."

"Let's face it girls, people don't tune in because of your athleticism," Chris leered.

Alex went in for a perfect close up of what the "T" in TNA probably meant to some. The pink barely there tops with the cut outs and push up bras filled the lens.

"Like what you see guys?" Velvet inquired giving a little shimmy.

"Me likey," Chris replied going in to cop a feel.

"Well too bad," she slapped his hand away.

"You're just not in our league!" Angelina proclaimed palming the front of the camera and pushing it out of the way so The Beautiful People could storm off.

Alex recovered though and focused on their retreating backsides.

"I'm glad to see them leave," Chris quipped.

"And it's even better watching them walk away," Alex finished in complete agreement.

The shot faded to black and the wrestler turned techie switched the camera off. He handed it back to its rightful owner and the Detroit natives headed back to their locker room.

"So that was pretty awesome," Chris grinned as he rummaged through his locker.

"Yeah, it was a good segment," Alex had to agree. He took a seat on the bench and leaned back against the metal lockers. "So… Care to share how Lauren heard about Keegan and me?"

Chris paused but didn't turn around or remove his focus from the inside of his cubby. "Um…" His hands began busily pushing things around suddenly very intent on finding his quarry.

"You're such a girl, you can't keep any kind of secret," the young brunette accused.

"Jamie told her not me."

"Well you told Jamie."

"I had to man. How was I supposed to keep that to myself?"

"Well now the whole fucking world is gonna know, and the awkwardness between Lauren and I is just gonna get worse."

"Nah I think she'll be okay with it."

Alex shook his head to the contrary. "We had a rather awkward encounter earlier. She made sure to give me a snide warning."

"I thought she shoved the camera kinda hard. Well you know how she is, she'll come around. She just doesn't like to lose."

"What has she lost?"

Chris finally turned to his best friend; fixing him with a look of disbelief. "You 'Lex."

Russet eyes widened, "me? No way. She never had me."

"Well now Keegan's got you so Lauren's shut out completely."

Alex suddenly felt a chill scuttle down his spine. He gasped and quickly removed his body from the lockers.

"Dude," Chris pulled his gray knit beanie over his mop of dark blonde hair, "I say we bail and go hit up that sushi place down on West Street. It's Saki night."

"Oh, you mean you're not groveling at Jamie's feet tonight?"

"It's called compromise bro, just you wait."

"And by compromising you mean basically handing her your nut sack."

"Whatever dude. I'll go by my-damn-self then," Chris groused.

Alex laughed at the scowl that took over his team mate's face. "Oh relax, I was kidding. Saki sounds good."

The blonde grinned loving the plan that had come together. Alex's phone chimed from inside his back pack. He leaned over and took it out; he had a text message.

"I know that smile; it's from the GF isn't it?"

Alex rolled his eyes, "what are we in high school still?"

He opened the digital envelope; the message was from Keegan.

_Studio's letting us go early tonight. Did you already go on yet?_

He slid his phone up to access his keyboard and began to type an answer.

_Yeah. We worked a vignette with the girls. Bout to head out and get some sushi._

A second later the device went off again and he read her response.

_You mind if we join you?_

Alex quirked an eyebrow. _We??_

_You bring your posse & I'll bring mine :)_

He hesitated to give a positive reply. Keegan's posse usually included company Alex never wanted around. He begrudgingly agreed because he knew she'd go elsewhere with them. At least this arrangement allowed him to be near to pick up the pieces they left behind.

_There probably won't be any paparazzi. Will Chase & Gemini be okay with that?_

The next message was slower to come and he could see the young actress glaring at her blackberry as she typed on its keys.

_Well since you're apparently being a dick, you go ahead & have a good night. _

He sighed; he expected that.

_I'm not sorry. You know how I feel about them. But I would like to see you tonight. _

This time her reply was quick. _Fuck off Shelley._

He snickered, and although he would never admit it out loud and usually denied it even to himself, a little bit of warmth always spread through his chest when her rebelliousness came out.

_You know you miss me or else you wouldn't have suggested meeting me_

Alex knew he was right and confidently waited for her message.

_Oh really. You flatter yourself. I could get plenty of things to fix that. But you know I'm one in a million._

He laughed out loud then; Chris had passed the time by packing up the rest of his stuff and was now fiddling with the roll of tape and half watching his tag team partner.

"Dude, Saki's waiting, let's bail."

"Text Jamie, tell her to gather the troops and come down after the show, Keegan's coming," Alex informed as he texted the actress back.

_Now who's flattering themselves? Not gonna lie tho you are. Come & bring whoever you want. _

_Are you gonna be nice or am I gonna regret agreeing to this?_

He scoffed but typed out his reply.

_I'll be good if you are._

_Fine. Truce. I'll see you in an hour. Piss me off & I'm out._

_I know. _He smiled.

_See ya Trix :)_

_:)_

He slid his phone closed before pocketing the device. As he waited for Chris to text his girl he threw his stuff in his bag. The younger boy was ready by the time the blonde stood up; his own knap sack slung over his shoulder.

"Let's roll."

~xxx~

The local sushi bar was a well known hang out by the majority of the roster. It was not uncommon to find a few wrestlers in there on any given night. Alex and Chris grabbed the larger table near the back, they ordered without looking at the menu, knowing most of it by heart. The decanter of Saki was placed in the center of the table and each boy took up a shot glass.

"To long nights and pillow fights," Chris winked as he raised his glass up.

Laughing, his tag partner clinked the blonde's drink with his own. The boys entertained themselves with the food and drinks until the waiter brought back more of the TNA roster. Jay and Jeremy led the way, sitting down on the opposite side of the Guns. Creed escorted Taylor Wilde to her seat and took the chair next to hers. Jess headed after them, grabbing a seat for herself. Jamie smiled at Chris as she took her place next to him. Christy grabbed the seat near Alex and ruffled his hair for good measure.

"Damn it Red!" He swatted at her hand.

"Oh you know you secretly love it," she smirked.

He glared at her but both knew the anger was absent. He was about to reply but it got lost when a particular blonde slid herself in the seat directly across from him.

"Hey baby bear," Lauren smiled.

"'Sup Lore," he nodded. "I didn't know you liked sushi."

"I don't really, but Jamie said they had other things so I decided to come too."

Alex felt his eye twitch again but managed to force out, "Awesome."

Lauren's blue gray eyes darkened; her smile twisted dangerously.

The arrival of the others made the table rather boisterous. Stories and jokes, most of them dirty, were shouted down and across the table. More dishes were ordered and more crafts of warm rice wine were placed in front them. Plates were passed around, things were encouraged to be tried, a few chop sticks were even thrown, but it was clear everyone was enjoying themselves.

The waiter came again, leading another group of people this time. Keegan Malloy and Jackson Peters approached arm and arm, a picture most photographers would kill for, the noise died down as the actors were recognized. They smiled brightly at everybody, taking in the scene.

"Hey girl," Christy waved.

"Hi," Keegan replied as she sat in between the red head and Alex. "How you've been?"

Jackson occupied the other seat next to Christy, making the knockout momentarily forget the conversation at hand. She stared at the Hollywood actor like the TNA fans stared at her. Chase Davenport's brow quirked as he took in all the unknown faces. He glanced at the young actress who had invited him along; he was unsure how he felt about this until he noticed the beautiful blondes amongst the crowd. With a confident shrug and a well practiced smirk he sauntered down to the end of the table toward Taylor and Jess. Sage and Poe Whitlock refused to hide their disapproval. Their critical ice blue eyes flitted over the others and finally settled back on each other. Alex watched as something passed between the twins that was lost on the rest; he really believed they would leave and silently chanted 'go, go' in his head. But Gemini settled down on either side of Lauren. Alex tried not to glare; he ripped his gaze away from the twins choosing instead to concentrate on the beautiful girl beside him, just in time to hear Christy finally answer Keegan's question.

"I'm good, I hear you're a little better though," she winked.

Keegan snickered but shook her head. "I'm just not sure that's true anymore." The glower she sent Alex wasn't as playful as it could have been.

"We called a truce," he reminded.

"Did we Shelley?"

"I'm pretty sure we both agreed to be good."

She feigned a pensive look, even tapping her index finger against her pursed lips. "I'll see how that works out, but I'm not making any promises."

"I wouldn't expect you to," he replied.

Keegan's bewitching green eyes softened; their color shimmered in the low lighting of the restaurant, and a slight smile came to her face. She slipped a few pieces of her ruby red curls behind her ear.

"I've missed you Trix," she whispered.

"Me too," Alex brushed his hand over hers, the one resting in her lap under the table. "I'm glad you came tonight."

"So am I." She turned her palm up and threaded the end of their fingers together.

Alex's breath snagged, as he got lost in the feel of her satin skin against his. He found air again inside her emerald eyes.

"Sorry guys," Jackson reached across them to grab the Saki.

Keegan flushed and shook her hand free. She teased the way Jackson poured Christy another shot before he filled a new glass for himself. Alex chuckled at the way the vivacious knockouts' cheeks reddened and he added a comment about telling Jimmy.

The addition of new people not only made the table louder, but as the nervousness waned it allowed for more amusement. Chase's tales of late nights at the most famous hot spots were more entertaining than the gossip columns in all those trashy magazines. Jackson proved to be more interested in the people he was dining with rather than indulging in immodest stories. The atmosphere was light and fun. Everyone seemed to be getting along, or at least tolerating each other.

Gemini kept to themselves, taking no chance to add to the conversations. They contented themselves with emptying a Saki craft. Lauren seemed just as closed off; she didn't interject herself even when Jamie tried to include her. Her answers were limited to one word responses. Although their touching was minimal, every time Alex and Keegan leaned into each other Lauren's jaw clenched. Her stare was always steely and cold toward to the young actress. But Keegan's interest remained wrapped by the handsome brunette from Detroit, as well as the wrestlers who were quickly becoming more her friends and less the acquaintances she associated with Alex.

Sage rolled her frigid blue eyes as Alex and Chris finished recounting a childhood adventure. As the table erupted with laughter Lauren practically growled when Keegan put her hand on Alex's arm. The songstress' keen ear picked it up; Sage looked at the former knockout's champion curiously. She discreetly caught her brother's attention then finally spoke, keeping her voice quiet.

"You seem to have a bit of a problem with Keegan?"

Lauren sneered. "Not that it's any of your business, but I don't like her."

Sage glanced at the actress, and then studied the way the blonde whipped her head around when Alex whispered something in Keegan's ear.

"Is your problem with her personally or his infatuation with her?"

"Is there a difference?" Lauren retorted.

A wicked smile lit up Sage's porcelain face and she chanced a look down to Chase. Poe caught his twin's expression; he didn't need to guess who her gaze had landed on. He rested his chin on his palm and kept his voice low.

"No. There really isn't a difference with Keegan. She tends to affect all the boys she meets."

"So I've noticed. They all just fall at her feet like mindless idiots," Lauren accused narrowing her eyes at the red head across from her.

Sage inched her seat closer to Lauren's. "They all assume she'll put out because all the characters she plays are easy."

"She slept her way to the top so I guess they're all right," the Beautiful blonde retorted.

Sage smirked and Poe moved his chair in closer as well. "That's just it though. She didn't. She's nothing but a cock tease," he corrected.

Lauren looked from one twin to the next, not even a little unnerved at their close proximity. "What? No, she's gotta be fucking them, how else would she get the parts, she's not that talented."

"She is sexy," Sage began, "and sex does sell. Do you really think people go to her movies to see great acting?"

Lauren scoffed at the notion.

"She's just the flavor of the month. She's running out of time though. Studios are getting fed up with her. She's always drunk and she has quite the drug habitat." Poe started to inspect his impeccable black nails.

"I thought that was all just made up for the tabloids."

"Oh, no." Sage assured. "She's always fucked up on something, can't get through the day without a pill."

"Why are you telling me this?" Lauren asked.

Gemini shrugged simultaneously. "Just figured you might wanna know for his sake," Poe cast his chin in the Alex's general direction.

"He's gotta know already, he's not stupid."

"No, he's not. But neither are we," Sage replied, "We happen to know why Keegs can't face reality. It's a closely guarded secret that only a trusted few know."

"And she trusts you two enough with it?" Lauren doubted.

"No." Poe shook his head. "She'd never tell us. She's not stupid either. But she does get these awful nightmares. We've watched her have them a bunch of times."

"She screams out 'No… Stop…' She yells for her mother. She thrashes about, and fights against anyone who tries to restrain her or wake her. She wakes up crying and usually barely makes it to the bathroom to throw up," Sage explained as easily as if she was talking about Gemini's latest single.

"She doesn't like physical contact unless she's drunk or has been taking pills. Merrick's always trying to get her to talk about it. She's only told him a little bit; that she had a bad childhood after her father died. She's more talkative when she's fucked up, her mother remarried and pretty much chose the guy over her," Poe's tone was just as unsympathetic as his sister's.

"Her bodyguard is more aggressive with men than women. And even with Chase and Merrick she's never completely comfortable." Sage finished and waited prompting Lauren to make the inference.

"She was assaulted." The blonde whispered. She covered her mouth and looked wide eyed at the young girl as if for the first time.

Sage's icy stare found her twin's; her pale glossed lips were set in a hard thin line. They were losing her. Poe attempted to reel her back in.

"We're thinking more along the lines of repeatedly abused."

Lauren's startled gaze landed on the boy but before she could say anything he continued.

"And as tragic as that is, is it really something that he should have to deal with?" Poe motioned over to Alex again.

"Keegan's clearly got issues that could end up hurting him," Sage jumped in smoothly. "She's keeping that from him, and for good reason, but when he finds out he could be devastated."

Poe didn't hesitate to add, "Honestly what kind of normal relationship could they have if she won't let him touch her. You know he doesn't belong with damaged goods."

"He belongs with you. You're much prettier than Keegan. You'd have more in common with him. She's only going to end up hurting him, and you know he's gonna run to you when that happens. Don't you wanna save him that heart ache?"

Lauren's eyes kept darting from Gemini to Alex and Keegan. Her stomach was twisting at what the twins were implying. It was hard to imagine something so awful; she didn't want to think about it. But her blood still turned to molten rock when Alex fed Keegan a piece of sushi. She dug her nails into her palms to stop screaming when he blatantly caressed the nape of her neck. The affection was brief but it still grated Lauren's last nerve. Alex caught her staring and raised a brow in question. She couldn't hold it, she quickly looked away.

"All you have is a theory," she whispered to the twins. "What are you suggesting we do with it?"

Sage didn't even try to suppress her grin. Poe's smile seemed lack luster in comparison, but he was still a willing accomplice in his sister's victory.

"Well hun, that's where you come in," he began. "Magazines will print anything with Keegan's name in it. You're going to offer your story to the most prominent one for starters."

"And as she fights to deny that and wonders just who could've betrayed her," Sage continued, "we're going to be doing a little investigating; and if all goes well we might even organize a reunion."

"What?! No!" Lauren asserted. "I'll go to the magazine but I won't be a part of anything that has to do with the person who hurt her. If this is true then this is enough. Putting her anywhere near that…" The blonde visibly shuddered. "No, I won't do that. I just want Alex in the end."

Gemini shared a devious look.

"Of course," Sage nodded. She retrieved her I-phone out of her designer bag and thrust it into Lauren's hands, "just put in your digits so we can keep in contact."

The knockout cast one last look across the table; Keegan and Alex were using their chop sticks to wrestle over the last sushi roll on the platter. Both of them looked unbearably happy, Lauren couldn't remember the last time she'd seen Alex laugh so much. She bit her bottom lip and punched her number into Sage's phone.

The singer seemed as if she was going to throw her head back and cackle; she kept her composure and grabbed her phone back once Lauren was done. A sudden cry made them all look across the table. Chris had leaned over and snatched the piece of sushi Alex and Keegan had been dueling over. With a shrug he popped it into his mouth. Keegan's laugh carried like the ring of a bell, and Alex's glare quickly faded. He shook his head at his friend.


	16. Chapter 16

~Thanks to all the reviewers who have stuck with this story, I really appreciate the support & totally love all your feedback. This story has been a blast to write, Keegan could be my favortie character that I've created :) & I'm glad that you guys are connecting with her & liking her. As usual I don't anyone or anything associated with TNA or Universal Studios. All the wrestlers own themselves, I only own Keegan and the people associated with her. Please review this chapter, there are some twists in this one & I wanna know how you guys feel about that. As always your reviews mean the world to me.... seriously it's what writers live for. Of course I'd also settle for the Guns tied up & waiting in my bed lol. But that's another story ;) Hope you like this one guys!~

~~So I went to my very 1st live TNA event last Saturday 1/9 & it was freaking amazing!!!!! My sister & I went & got to get in the ring & take a pic with AJ Styles after the show..... OMG. Dream come true. The ring is a lot more squishy than I expected, it was bouncy. He was sooooo nice. Like really. There was a lot of people & he just kept smiling & being wicked pleasant. We asked him for a hug & the security guy was like 'hurry up grrr' & AJ goes 'it's fine girls, he's just jealous' lol. He's soooooo cute in person too, Crayola doesn't even have a color blue for his eyes man.... *sigh* & I totally got to meet Taylor Wilde, Sarita, & the Beautiful People. And even Jeff Jarrett & Beer Money!!!!!Again all super nice & really appreciative when I told the Knockouts the girls in TNA were better than the Divas (cuz they are). Velvet Sky is ridiculously pretty..... like you think you know, but you have no idea. I mean I had a boner for her lol. & I was the last autograph she signed before the security whisked her away. YES!!!!! Haha. All in all it was blast; such a great show, the energy was insane. it reminded me of a concert no joke. JB is a great hype man. & all the wrestlers were amazingly nice. They all stuck around to give autographs and take pics. I don't remember WWE doing that the last time I went to one of thier house shows. Oh & Don West is pretty awesome too. He was behind the merch stand & I asked him if they had any Jeff Hardy arm bands. He said 'not yet, we have to wait until everything is official.' & when I asked if that meant if Jeff was gonna be put on the roster, he was like 'eh... we gotta wait til stuffs official.' So that totally leads me to believ that Jeff has gone back to TNA. YES!!!!!~~

~Chapter 16~

Alex couldn't remember who had suggested going out after the Sushi bar, but he was glad that he'd listened. Most of the party had migrated to Addiction; they had the back of the club near the dance floor pretty much to themselves. It seemed with Jackson Peters on her arm Keegan Malloy was even harder to deny; not the club owner would ever disappoint one of his best customers. With the Saki still warm in their veins the large group decided a round of shots was the first priority. Keegan approached the bar, Jay and Jeremy accompanying her to carry the essentials of the evening out. She chose two bottles of Vodka; one only about half full, the unopened bottle of GoldSchlagger Poe had requested, a brand new bottle of tequila, and the half bottle of Jack for good measure. She carried the Cuervo back to the table, leaving the boys to handle the other liquor and the round of shot glasses.

A few square tables had been shoved together to make room for the wrestlers and the Hollywood elite. Maybe it was the rice wine, but everyone seemed to be mingling pretty well. Alex glanced down the tables, noticing Lauren and Gemini huddled together at the end. He squinted in confusion. He was about to ask Jamie what her friend would have in common with the Whitlock twins but a bottle came into his line of sight completing distracting him.

"Jose," he greeted it with a smirk before looking up into a pair of enchanting green eyes.

Keegan snickered back at him immediately twisting the cap off.

"No glass?" Alex quirked a brow.

She shook her head then slammed a shot straight from the bottle wiping her mouth on the back of her hand; she held it out to the Detroit native. He kept hold of her gaze as he raised the liquor to his lips. He squeezed his eyes tight as he sucked back his own drink, shuddering in its aftermath.

"Damn girl," Christy giggled. "You could probably drink 'Lex under the table no problem."

Keegan chuckled winking at her fellow red head, even if Christy's wasn't natural, and took the tequila back from Alex.

"What can I say; Jose just does it for me."

"Well my man's Jack," Jess informed reaching over and grabbing the bottle of whiskey; tipping it toward Keegan she followed the actress' lead taking her shot directly from the bottle. "You and me are gonna get along fine Missy."

Keegan laughed and accepted the larger knockout's high five.

"You keep her around Shelley," Jess pointed at him.

"That's all up to her," Alex held up his hands. "I'm hoping she lets me though."

Keegan blushed as Christy, Taylor, and Jamie 'awwed' around her. Tucking some of her ruby tresses behind her ear she sent a half hearted glare in Alex's direction. The young brunette laughed, he could already see himself spending more nights like this; carefree with Keegan sitting right beside him. Suddenly, the music switched and a loud heavy bass line shook the rafters in the club.

"Red, this is our song. You game?" Jamar extended his hand.

Christy batted her baby blues at him. "Why Jay, I do declare," she giggled and let him lead her to the floor.

The thick crowd of people and the swirling lights swallowed them up. A few more people paired off for the song, the others needing a little more liquid courage. But as the night progressed even the established 'non dancers' were pulled out under the strobe lights. Sometime between the music and the drinks and right in the middle of a conversation Sage ambled up to the other end of the table. She stared at Jeremy until he finally took the hint and gave her his chair. Taylor simply rolled her blue eyes and threw her arm around him leading him back out on the floor for a slower tune.

Keegan regarded the singer with an annoyed look, which seemed lost on Sage. With a passing glance her tundra blue eyes settled back on Keegan.

"Griffin texted me, he's going to LA this weekend. His plane's leaving in an hour. We're going; Merrick's meeting us here in 10. You coming with?"

"LA?" Keegan bit her bottom lip. "Griffin's going?"

"Yeah, a business trip," Sage smirked darkly.

Keegan's teeth found her swollen lip again and Alex felt her leg start to bounce under the table.

"Keegs," Jackson interrupted, "you can't go to LA we've got a meeting tomorrow afternoon for press photos."

"I know. It's not terribly important though. I mean, we don't really get a say in how they're gonna look," she argued. "I could be back to start shooting on Monday."

"You know his best stuff is in LA," Sage threw out flippantly.

"I know," Keegan sighed. "Britt could cover for me."

"What about the stipulation in your contract that says no bad press," Alex reminded hurling daggers at the female Gemini.

Keegan groaned under her breath. "There wouldn't be any press; I'd only be gone for the weekend."

Alex stiffened beside her. He put a heavy hand on her knee like he was trying to hold her in place. "Kam." He whispered softly.

Chase and Poe came to stand behind Sage; the trust fund boy wonder was occupied with his phone.

"You ready Keegs?" He inquired without looking up from his device.

Alex gently squeezed her knee under the table. "You know you can't."

To his great surprise she pushed his hand away. She threw back one last shot of Cuervo before standing from her seat. Alex felt his blood start to race, his stomach dropped to the floor; his hand itched to grab her and pull her back down.

Keegan carded a small hand through her thick hair. "Just tell Merrick to call me when you guys get back."

Alex's jaw nearly hit the table top. He knew he had to have heard wrong. But Sage's impression of a gold fish told him otherwise. He felt Keegan wrap her hand tightly around his wrist and tug him to his feet.

"Keegs? It's Griffin and LA… What are you doing?" Sage demanded when the young actress began to head to the dance floor.

"Just hit me up when you get back… Please." She begged.

"Sure thing Keegs," Chase assured. "Merrick's here, we gotta go. Talk to ya Monday."

Chase hurried the twins along while Keegan pulled Alex steadily to the dance floor. She pushed herself tight against his chest resting her palm flat over his heartbeat. He wrapped his arms around her small frame; holding her as closely as he could. It seemed that wasn't close enough and she pressed her forehead into the crook of his neck.

"Are you alright?" His breath ghosted over her ear.

"No. I want to go… Griffin's stuff is going to be amazing."

"Do you remember what you told me about LA?" He felt her nod against him. "I'm glad you didn't go."

"Me too," she whispered. "Just don't let go of me tonight."

Alex was sure she felt the stutter in his pulse, but she simply nuzzled into his neck.

"Just keep holding on." He dropped his lips to her forehead.

~xxx~

Keegan's toe caught the third step on the way to her front door. Alex snatched her arm yanking her up before she hit the cold marble.

"Ooops," she couldn't control her giggles.

A chuckle even escaped Alex as he teased her. "God, you're such a klutz Kam."

"My name ain't Grace that's for sure."

Alex snorted a laugh out through his nose; making the young actress guffaw at the noise. She leaned into him as she swayed unsteadily, clutching the front of his gray t-shirt in the throes of her laughter. Alex only began to laugh harder, pressing her closer to his body as he curled in on himself.

"Hey, Chuckles, you wanna let us the fuck in. I gotta pee." Jess complained from the front porch.

The tag team competitor and the actress immediately stifled their chortles, but one look at each other and they cracked up again.

"Cool it, it's the fuzz," Alex managed to get out.

Keegan lost it; she stumbled back and landed on her ass. She seemed shocked at the downward trip, but that too quickly became funny. Alex covered his mouth attempting to hide his amusement, but the way his shoulders shook clearly gave him away.

"Don't just stand there dumbass. Help me up," Keegan demanded holding her hand out expectantly.

He grabbed a hold of her wrist and easily hauled her up and over his shoulder. She yelped; unprepared for such a fast trip off the ground. Alex ignored her protests as he carried her up the remaining steps to the porch.

"It just seemed easier this way," he shrugged.

He turned around and let Keegan key in her security code to open the door then continued in and deposited her unceremoniously on the couch. She made an 'oomph' sound when she was finally released. Undisturbed she closed her eyes and snuggled her head back into the cushions. The tight black material of her long sleeved v-neck rode up exposing her leanly toned stomach. Alex drank in the creamy skin; mouth watering at the sight. He longed to unwrap her like a present, but somehow even now realized he'd have to wait a while for the holiday. He heard the others follow them in. He reached down and lowered her shirt causing her to open her eyes again. They captured him, instantly stilling his movements as he got lost in them. They were dark evergreen, with a fire smoldering in the center. Alex felt the air get stuck in his throat as he choked on his gasp. Her beauty was even more disarming in its simplicity now versus when she was elaborately dressed with the intent of being breathtaking. His mouth opened on its own accord, but the words that wanted to tumble out were interrupted.

"So where's the bathroom in this place?" Jess demanded looking around.

"What?" Keegan blinked. She shook her head trying to clear away the clouds that always infiltrated her rational mind when she thought about the Detroit Made boy.

"Bathroom?" The former knockout's champion repeated with some indignation.

"Oh, there's one upstairs, it's the first door on the right at the top of the stairs."

Jess nodded to herself as she headed up the steps; Christy followed behind her. Only a few had made the trek back to the cottage. Most had called it a night after the club. The idea had appealed to Alex when it was formulated under the lights with drink in hand, but now instead of entertaining the group he wished he and Keegan could fall asleep on the couch as one of her sappy old fashioned love stories played in the DVD player. She seemed to have other thoughts though. He watched as she disappeared into the kitchen.

"Dude, this place is awesome," Chris fell onto the sofa. "When you guys get married can I move in too?"

Alex fixed him with a scowl. "You got your woman to mooch off of."

Jamie shoved the brunette playfully before sitting beside his tag team partner. "Watch it Shelley. Don't make me whoop your ass and make you look bad in front of your girl."

"Oh brother," he rolled mocha brown his eyes. "You're supposed to be the mature one Jame. He's rubbing off on you."

She smiled and threw her legs up onto Chris' knees. "It was bound to happen eventually."

Jay and Jeremy had camped out in the large armchair near the fire place; the blonde Canadian opting to sit on the ottoman while the other boy took the seat. Jackson chose to lean casually against the arm of the couch.

"Just as long as you don't start to smell like him," Jay quipped.

This earned some snickers and an arm pit check form Chris.

Keegan poked her head in announcing that if anyone wanted anything they should come inspect the kitchen. They migrated in; the bottle of wine was waiting on the island, while Keegan was sipping her own glass. Alex smiled when Salinger jumped on the counter and padded over to the young actress. He nuzzled into her arm; Keegan set the glass aside to stroke the cat. A purr instantly rumbled to life in his chest.

"Oh, he's cute. Look at all his colors," Jamie gushed.

"We moved the party in here huh?" Jess grinned as she Christy entered the kitchen.

Alex sighed, so much for that movie, but when he heard Keegan's unmistakable laugh as she and Christy shared a whisper in the corner he didn't really mind so much.

~xxx~

Alex shivered, he turned hoping to snuggle deeper into his blankets, but he groaned when he didn't find them. Cursing to himself he sat up and pushed his hand back through his dark hair.

"Wha?" He blinked his eyes hard trying to get them to focus. "How did I end up on the floor?"

Bodies were strewn about the living room; Chris and Jamie had somehow gotten lucky enough to have the couch. Jeremy was lying across the large armchair; Jess had her head on his stomach and the rest of her draped over the ottoman. The empty wine bottle was tipped over right beside her. Jackson and Christy had been swaddled in blankets in front of the fireplace, while Jay was curled up on his side not the far away from Alex. The young x-division star rubbed at the crick in his neck. He struggled up to wobbly legs and had to grab the arm of the couch to steady himself.

"Aww man… Never again." He vowed silently as he slowly headed into the kitchen.

He found the glasses and proceeded to turn the tap on. He shivered at the heavy breeze moving the white linen curtains around the open French doors that led out onto the back patio. He left his drink on the counter as he stepped out into the chilly dawn air. It was still a white gray, the sun not having turned the sky pink yet. Curiously, he scanned the yard wondering who had left the door open. He squinted in the low light, but just made out the shape of a person down by the brook. As quietly as he could he went back inside and shoved his feet into his sneakers, not bothering with the laces. He glanced around for his hoodie but couldn't find it, giving up he turned to go back outside. The person had moved to the quaint whitewashed bridge that was arched over the stream. They were sitting on it leaning against the bottom rung as he made his way down.

"Don't jump," he joked when he reached the small wooden structure.

Keegan smiled up at him, her scarlet tresses were thrown back in a messy bun and she was practically swimming in a very familiar looking black sweatshirt. Alex couldn't stop the soft upturning of the corners of his mouth at finding her in his jacket; it warmed him despite the bite in the air.

"I couldn't sleep." Her emerald eyes focused back on the black reflective water.

It flowed gently underneath them as it meandered into the surrounding cluster of trees and into the bit of woods that hid the protective gate on the perimeter of the property. It was so picturesque that Alex felt like he was in a storybook, nearly forgetting he was on the out skirts of the city of Orlando.

"It's nice out here," he commented while sitting down beside her. "I can see why you paint this view so much."

"This is definitely my peaceful place. You should see the stars reflect on the water at night. I've been trying to get that right since I moved in but I can never match the mood ya know?"

Alex nodded at her words assuming that it probably would be difficult to capture the essence. The scenery captured his attention for a minute and when he looked back at Keegan her head was resting on the arm that balanced on the bottom rung of the bridge. Her eyes were closed and had he not known better he would have swore she was sleeping; her countenance was so tranquil, expression so placid, so unlike how they usually were. He almost hated to disturb her but a question was nagging at the back of his mind, it had been there since she dragged him out on the dance floor earlier that morning, or was it last night now?

"Can I ask you a question without you getting angry?"

She cracked one eye open much like Salinger when his naps were interrupted.

"You can ask the question but I make no promises."

"Fair enough," he shrugged. "Why didn't you go to LA?"

This time she opened both eyes and picked her head up. Looking out into the line of trees she tucked the few pieces of hair that had blown loose back behind her ear.

"The pills would've been great; they all would've been pure and not cut with anything… But you were right, I couldn't go. That stipulation in my contract sucks."

"Bullshit! You know damn well that Britt could've covered it and made the trip look legit. As long as you didn't get any press no one would have known you said so yourself. And since when do you give a damn about contracts and rules?"

She glared at him, but the anger didn't reach her eyes. "Why are you arguing with me? You got what you wanted; I didn't go."

"But you wanted to."

"Yeah… I still fucking want to." She sighed. "But as great as Griffin's stash would have been, I had better company at Addiction. Jax and Christy were there… You were there Alex. I didn't wanna leave you."

"Me?" He breathed out the question.

She tucked her chin down fighting the blush that was creeping up into her cheeks. She refused to look at him while she spoke.

"Things are more… bearable when I'm with you. I don't… I don't want them _so_ much."

Something exploded inside his chest at her admission; warm honey replaced the blood flowing through his veins, sticky and sweet. Quietly he savored it, enjoying the richness, but he knew he had to press her further.

With a deep breath he asked, "Have you ever thought about rehab?"

"Rehab?" She spat it out like it was dirty. "Rehab is for people who can't handle their problems. I'm handling mine just fine thank-you."

"With prescriptions and alcohol; have you ever actually talked to someone about what happened?"

"For your information, I have been the patient of two of the most prominent psychiatrists in the country-"

"Well that's great when you need a refill Keegan, but I know you," Alex interrupted. "You didn't volunteer any information because you didn't trust them and they didn't ask any invasive questions because you're Keegan Malloy."

She turned away from him, attempting to get up, but he grabbed the sleeve of his hoodie and pulled her back down.

"You can't get over it if you never face it." Alex moved closer to her ignoring the way she pulled away. "You can't keep running forever Kam."

"I'm not running," she instantly retorted. "I just choose not to think about it."

"You're suppressing it, that's not dealing with it. It manifests in your nightmares and your substance abuse."

"Abuse?" She scoffed. "Forgetting the shitty parts of my life hardly constitutes abuse. Besides, I'm in complete control. I chose you over Griffin didn't I?"

He had to give her that. "Yeah you did… This time. What about the next time though? It's easy to lose control."

"Well that's not gonna happen. I'm not stupid Alex. I know what I'm doing." Her tone informed him that the conversation was finished.

He shook his head. "Okay. Will you promise something though?"

She eyed him warily, but eventually agreed.

"You were so strong tonight, you resisted the temptation… Just don't forget that okay? Know that you have the ability to walk away from that shit."

Keegan bit down on her lower lip; she cast her eyes down becoming absorbed in the comfortable material of the hoodie. Alex brushed his fingers against her ivory skin before gently cupping her cheek. A collection of tear drops had pooled in her eyes and she was battling to not let them fall. He wiped away a stubborn droplet with the pad of his thumb before pressing his lips against hers. The normal hesitance he usually received with such an intimate affection wasn't there this time. Keegan leaned into him, opened herself completely, and accepted his kiss. She tangled her fingers in the short hair at the nape of his neck and even pulled him closer. He was surprised, but he never faltered. He brushed his tongue along her maltreated bottom lip soothing the discomfort of her worry. He sucked it into his mouth, trying to take all of her demons unto himself. She whimpered and pressed herself closer into his chest, clutching his shirt in her small hand.

Alex hated having to relinquish their kiss, but his lungs insisted. He panted as he leaned his forehead against hers. His brown eyes board into her unbridled gems, watching the way they calmed and stilled, and finally focused solely on his own. He felt her relax and a warm breath ghosted against his lips. He smiled softly at her then claimed her in another kiss; a gentle promise was laced through the gesture, embedding itself in the tenderness of the moment. Slowly Alex pulled away, once again struck by her uncontrived beauty he studied her for as long as she would allow. Finally Keegan looked down; cheeks stained pink again. He smirked at the aberrant shyness, and rather enjoyed that he was the only thing that seemed to produce the atypical trait.

"Could we just sit out here for a little while?" She asked.

"Yeah," he whispered back.

Alex turned them so they were looking out over the brook. She leaned back into him when he wrapped his arms around her waist and rested her head against his shoulder. They lapsed into a comfortable silence as they watched the sun rise up over the trees. He felt her sigh happily at the first swirls of cotton candy pink and baby blue. Tightening his grip, he placed a chaste kiss to her cheek.

~xxx~

That following Sunday afternoon saw Alex and Chris packing their bags for a week of house shows. They were driving up to the East coast to perform the first show in New York then back track down through Connecticut and Rhode Island. Alex's suitcase was sitting open on his bed while he expertly fit clothes and gear inside. His phone buzzed next to his bag with another text message from Keegan. Smiling he flipped the keyboard open.

_I'm still jealous; I don't get to travel around to perform in front of people._

Alex chuckled and began to type his response.

_No but you get to go on locations to really cool places. I've never to been to London. _

He placed his phone down, going back to his dresser to grab another shirt. As he found room for it his cell phone vibrated again.

_It's pretty nice. I walked a tour of where Jack the Ripper killed his victims._

Alex quirked an eyebrow at the grim adventure.

_Wow. Bet that was fun… you have many people go with ya? Should I be worried??_

He headed into the bathroom to grab the supplies that Chris no doubt forgot to pack but would want in the middle of the week. He put the shaving cream, toothpaste, and other necessities in his plastic travel bag and carried it back to his room. He had received two text messages in his absence. He opened the first one from Keegan and read it.

_Lmao. I like history… Gory history. We should go back & do that 1 day. _

_Um…. Lemme get back to ya 'bout that._

He typed her response quickly then opened the second message, it was from Jason.

_Yo you girls ready yet? Me & AJ will be there in 15._

He rolled his eyes and sent the impatient man an answer.

_Chill out dude. We'll be ready…. Someone forget to pack the blow up doll again?? Jeez Reso!_

Alex finally zipped up his bag, tucking his phone charger into his laptop case and hauled them all out to the couch in the living room. He spotted his tag partner with his head shoved into the refrigerator.

"What are you doing?"

Chris turned to him with one of those squirt-able yogurts in the tube hanging out of his mouth. The shirtless blonde shrugged as he spoke around the package between his teeth.

"Dude, where's the stash man?"

Alex sighed loudly. "Will you please get ready; Reso and AJ are on their way. And you know what a pain in the ass he is if he has to wait."

"I am ready. My shit's all packed; I'm trying to find the goods for the ride of death man." He began to search the cupboards again.

"How did you ever function in life before you met me?" Alex wondered dragging an aggravated hand over his face.

"I just don't know how I managed," The blonde retorted. "Ah-ha!"

He pulled a large Ziploc bag down from the shelf filled with all sorts of candy; everything from War Heads to a half eaten bag of Swedish Fish.

"Ready, let's roll!"He called going back into his room.

The doorbell buzzed from downstairs announcing the other wrestlers' arrival.

"Sabin I swear to God if you ain't out here in two seconds I'm leaving your ass here."

"I'm comin'." Chris yelled back. "And like anybody wants to see _just _you. We're like a three course meal bro and I'm the entrée."

Alex had collected his bags and merely shook his head at the older boy when he came out finally wearing a shirt with his one bag of luggage and backpack. The brunette switched off the light and made sure to lock the door before following the blonde down the hall.

"Would you hurry up dude, you take forever," Chris rolled his sapphire blue eyes.

"I'm gonna kill ya," Alex promised as he stepped into the elevator.

"That's Joe's line man," Chris replied as the doors closed on them.

~xxx~

The week of travel went well. The crowds that attended the shows were all awesome; totally excited to see the live event and really appreciative during the meet and greets. The Guns match with Beer Money was always the loudest on the card. The four of them worked well together, knowing how to get the biggest pops by now. It was Thursday night; the last of the fans had just left. The talent was hanging out in the locker room of the arena in Rhode Island waiting for the techs to finish disassembling the six sided ring. Some had taken up a game of cards to pass the time; others were messing around on their PSPs and other devices. Alex had camped out on the floor using his backpack and hoodie as a cushion while he caught up with some e-mails and updated his social network status. With a yawn, he thought about forwarding Jason a spam e-mail for a brand new Penis Enlarger; but he decided against it and just deleted it instead_. _His phone began to ring as it rested on his thigh. He glanced down at the unfamiliar number and silenced it. A few minutes later it began to ring again; the same number flashing across the screen. He pursed his lips and rejected it.

"I don't know you, I don't answer you," he muttered to himself.

His phone was still for merely a second before his message tone sounded. He glared down annoyed, but wondered what was going on when he saw a text labeled _Urgent_ from Jeremy. He opened the message icon.

_Either turn a T.V. on or go to the Scoop's website. NOW. _

He felt his heart stop mid beat and hurriedly typed in the magazine's official website into the URL bar on his laptop. As soon as the site loaded a picture of Keegan's cottage came up. The caption scrolling across the bottom was written in bright yellow script, it read: _Keegan Malloy's House Ransacked! _

"What?" Alex forced the whisper out as he clicked on the link for the story.

It took him to an aerial shot of Keegan's home and the article stood in a column beside it underneath the bold pink heading of _Breaking News._

_Keegan Malloy's Orlando home was broken into earlier tonight. An unknown assailant was able to breech the young actress' security systems and gain access into her cottage just outside the city. It is unclear just how this was accomplished; if the system experienced a problem or if perhaps this was an inside job. All is still speculation at this time. Thankfully Malloy was not at home at the time of the break in; she was still at Orlando Studios where her latest film is being shot. This home invasion comes only a year after an overzealous reporter broke into her apartment in New York City. Though it is not clear what the person was after in this instance, nothing has been reported missing. The house has been said to be 'trashed' by Malloy's personal assistant who called authorities after she and Keegan returned to the house after shooting. The security box that controls the front gate was supposedly still intact; however, when the actress punched in her numbered code the automatic gate did not work. After manually pushing them open they came upon a frightening scene straight out of a Hollywood thriller. The front door was reportedly wide open and everything in the house a complete mess. Police state that whoever did this may have been looking for something specific and that is why they did not take anything. There will be more details to this incredible story as they become available, check back to see how it all unfolds._

Alex's entire stomach had dropped into the floor, his limbs felt heavy as he blindly reached for his cell phone. He pushed the speed dial and simply hit the power button on his computer not bothering to shut it down properly. He set it aside and rushed out into the hallway ignoring AJ's calls to join their card game.

"Pick up," he paced the small length of the hall outside the locker room. "C'mon Kam… Please."

Just as he was ready to curse her voicemail, a shaky voice answered his pleas.

"Trix," she sniffed. "Someone broke in."

His heart ached at the shattered tone in her usually velvet tinged voice. He could hear the tears she was struggling to keep back. All his energy seemed to leave him at once at the strain in her words; he laid his head back on the wall behind him.

"I know." It was like he couldn't muster the power for more than a whisper and he willed any strength he might have had to Keegan. "Where are you right now? Are you alright?"

"I'm in hotel, Britt's here with me. We just got back from the police station," she explained. "Nothing was taken; they say that's a good thing…"

"Good," he sneered, "that just means that some creep wanted to snoop around inside. I'd rather have them take something. At least then we'd know what they wanted."

"I said the same thing. I don't know how they broke my gate; the box looked fine; unless they cut the power somehow. But don't you have to be inside to do that?"

"Not necessarily. They could have overpowered the circuit if they knew what they were doing."

A strangled cry escaped her and he could picture her wrapping her arms around her waist.

"Did anything get broken?"

"They trashed my place. Everything was thrown all over; my couch was flipped up, like all my dishes were thrown on the floor, my bedroom… forget it. They tore my dresser apart, flipped my bed onto the floor. They went through my laptop but didn't take it or my I-pod and they were both out in the open…" She choked down another sob. "But my paintings… They're all ripped and ruined. They destroyed every one."

Alex bit his bottom lip to stifle his own sound of disappointment; he knew what those meant to her.

"The only good thing about this is they didn't hurt Salinger. They shut him up in the pantry with a chair in front of the door so he couldn't get out… but he's okay." Her pitch broke at the end and all he could hear for a few seconds was her openly weeping.

He shushed her and tried to soothe her as best he could. As she slowly recomposed herself, he gave a silent 'thank-you' to every deity he could think of for saving that cat. He shuddered to think about what she would have done if anything had happened to him.

"Keegan, listen to me," Alex began slowly, "try to relax tonight and when I get back on Saturday if there's anything you want from your house we'll go get it and you can come stay with me for little while."

There was such a long pause that Alex feared they'd gotten disconnected. "Keegan?"

"You… You'd do that for me?" she whispered.

Alex sighed in relief. "Well yeah… Unless you don't want to."

"I wanna stay with you Trix," her voice was fraught with an alien desperation. "…Please."

It took him a moment to gain control over his own tone of voice, pushing his hand back through his hair before he could reassure her.

"Then I'll come get you as soon as I get back. You're gonna stay with me until they figure this out. It's gonna be okay Kam."

She took a deep breath, and Alex knew it was to calm her. "Thank-you... You're the first person who's said that to me that I actually believe."

"Good. 'Cause I mean every word. They are gonna figure this out and you are gonna be fine... I'm gonna make sure of it."

"Just be careful, you still have two more house shows to do… Be safe okay."

His heart rate picked up at her obvious concern. "I will. You try to get some sleep and I'll see you Saturday."

Keegan scoffed. "Really? Sleep?"

"Promise me you'll try Kam."

"I'll try," she confirmed. "I'll see you Saturday."

"Bye."

When his screen finally went dim, his legs buckled and he slid along the wall to the tiled floor; distance and apprehension beating him down. He knew it wouldn't even be two full days until he could be with her; pull her into his chest and hold her, tuck her head under his chin and feel her put her hand over his heart, but he needed all those things now. He craved them more than his next breath.


	17. Chapter 17

~Hey guys…. Wow, sorry about the long ass wait for this chapter. It's the longest one I've written so maybe that'll make up for it. I swear the next update won't take soooo long. As always I want to thank you for reading & for your continued support of this story & my other stuff. It means a lot to me that people read my stories & like them. I especially want to thank those of you that review & encourage more people to do it. I love getting your feedback; knowing what you like & dislike make my day… Really! Reviews are amazing and I want to keep hearing from you so do it up. Anyway, I hope you guys like this chapter ^-^~

~Chapter 17~

Alex greedily sucked on the cigarette between his fingers as he drove to Keegan's cottage. He'd spoken to the young actress earlier. He agreed to meet her at her house to collect what she could and then he was taking her back to his apartment. Despite her sounding brave on the phone, Alex ignored the set speed limit. Everything inside him quivered in anticipation. He couldn't wait to wrap her up in his arms and shield her from the world. His cell buzzed and he grabbed it from the cup holder to read his text message.

_Are you almost here?? ~Britt_

He quickly sent her a positive response. Britt had become Keegan's buffer; the assistant was fielding all questions and attempts to contact her client, she'd posted several reports on different websites and released statements to several magazines concerning the incident. Keegan refused to say anything about it herself. She wouldn't even read what Britt was putting out to the media. The actress had shut herself up in her hotel room only leaving it to go back to what used to be her home.

Alex slowed as he approached the gate; the fairy carvings beckoned him through the opening. He parked behind Britt's car and rushed inside the house, freezing when he came to the doorway. The once immaculate cottage was in complete disarray. _Everything_ was _everywhere_. The large red sofa was still lying on its back, the cushions thrown to the side and the pillows laid ripped open with some of their stuffing spilling out. There wasn't an object in the room that hadn't been moved or turned over. Alex's blood turned to ice as he quickly ascertained that whoever did this was most definitely looking for something specific. His brain immediately made the connection that the culprit must have known Keegan in order to have a certain target in mind. He looked over to the flat screen still mounted on the wall and the expensive DVD console sitting right below it.

He shook his head. "They definitely knew what they wanted… This wasn't about jacking stuff for a profit," he thought.

"Oh, it's you." Britt breathed behind him; she stood on the bottom step in a pair of jeans and a simple white t-shirt with her blonde hair thrown up in a messy bun. Dark circles lingered under her soft brown eyes rounding out her worn appearance. "Thank God you're finally here."

"Where is she?" Alex inquired.

"In her studio," she cast a glance up the stair case and shook her head sadly. "Everything in there is ruined."

A heavy sigh escaped him; he hurried up the steps to her.

The door was open and he found her standing with her back to him in the middle of the room staring forlornly at the destroyed canvases scattered on the floor. All of them had been defaced with the very paint that had originally created them, their pictures lost under the carless splashes and splatters. Most of them were ripped as well with several slashes going through them. He watched her for a few seconds, moving up behind her when he noticed her shoulders beginning to shake. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she immediately turned and buried her face into his chest. His heart clenched behind his ribs.

Keegan kept herself pressed into the young wrestler for a few minutes. She composed herself with one final sniffle before she wiped the water from her cheeks. If Britt looked tired then Keegan looked exhausted. She was cadaver pale and her eyes were so lifeless and sunken in she looked ready for the grave. Her naturally small frame seemed much too thin in his arms and her body seemed to hold a chill all its own.

"I'm sorry Kam," he whispered against her ear.

She shook her head; almost like she didn't want to hear the words. She raked a tired hand through her hair as she looked around once more. Alex grabbed her chin gently and forced her eyes back to his own. Deep brown compassion swam before her and Keegan bit her lip before she leaned in clutching the life preserver promises that were floating in Alex's gaze with a kiss. He pulled her tighter against him swaddling her in comfort. Relief flooded over him when he finally felt the tension ease out of her body. As their lips parted she tucked her head back under his chin resting her ear over his heart.

"We'll figure this out," his whisper rumbled against her cheek. "You'll paint new things… Find a new view to capture."

"As long as you're somewhere in the picture," she let her eyes flutter shut.

"I will be."

He felt her release a breath and gave her a squeeze. They held onto each other for a moment, neither in a rush to relinquish the embrace. Finally, Alex edged back enough to tuck a strand of scarlet hair behind her ear and deliver a soft kiss to her forehead. He slipped his fingers into hers then led her out of the ruined studio.

They found Britt downstairs collecting DVDs that were strewn about the room. A box was sitting on the righted coffee table. She jumped a bit when she turned around.

"You gotta stop sneaking up on me Alex," she teased half heartedly.

"Sorry," he shrugged while glancing around. "What things do you really want outta here Kam?"

Keegan looked around the living room and it drew a sigh out of her.

"I don't know. I guess I should put most of my stuff in storage until I figure out where I'm going."

"I thought you were coming to stay with me," Alex reminded.

"Are you sure you want me to?"

"Yes. I wouldn't have offered if I didn't want you there. I mean it's a small apartment but we'll manage it."

"But Chris-"

"He's more than fine with it, believe me." Keegan smiled slightly as Alex continued. "Besides, I want you with me for a while. Just so I know you're okay."

"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself," the feisty young actress argued.

"Humor me," he held her gaze in a silent challenge.

Keegan softened her eyes and told Britt to pack just the essentials. The other things could wait in storage until she settled permanently somewhere. The assistant nodded and began to collect the DVDs again. Alex volunteered to grab more boxes from the cellar and Keegan headed up to her bedroom to start packing her clothes.

The basement was completely furnished and carpeted. It was a mess just like the rest of the house, but it was obviously never used otherwise. Alex found several brown boxes in the large closet some with labels already written on them. A couple had been toppled over. He peeked in one that wasn't written on and found it empty so he pulled it out. As he sifted through the normal clutter of old holiday decorations, most of them for Halloween and Christmas, and the other forgotten what-nots he uncovered a smaller box tipped over in the corner of the closet. He pushed two big boxes out of the way to reach the slighter one. Its top had flopped open and the contents had slid out onto the floor; a number of hefty books. He squatted down to investigate in the low light.

"Pictures," he mused while opening the cover of the first album.

The first page was a celebration of Halloween costumes. Someone had quite an imagination. There was an impressive cat ensemble complete with face paint one year and then a pirate costume that would have put Johnny Depp to shame. The little girl even had a fake parrot sitting on her shoulder. Alex grinned and turned the page. This one seemed to be dedicated to swim classes. He chuckled at the duckie inner tube sitting around the little girl's waist. It went quite well with her blue and white swim suit. He switched to the next page. There was only one picture in the very center of this sheet.

The photograph was old, all the edges were bent and there was a fold line down the middle. A little girl in a pink party dress was dancing with a man in a charcoal suit. She was standing on the tops of his feet and his arm was secured around her back. There were other people dancing around them in the background, but even in the picture they all faded out and disappeared. The only focal point was the girl with the beautiful red curls and her partner. Alex gasped when he noticed the little girl wasn't wearing shoes. White tights stood out against the black of the man's dress loafers. He carefully took the picture out of the plastic and flipped it over. His eyes widened at the neat cursive handwriting on the back.

_Daddy teaching Keegan to dance at her 10__th__ birthday party. _

He quickly looked at the photograph again. There was no mistaking a younger Keegan, and a second look at the man showed the similarities in their faces. Same basic shape even though her features were softer and more delicate. Her nose was smaller and turned up slightly at the end but the eyes; same eye shape and placement, the same bright emerald shade. And the way they were so lost in each other while they danced. Her little smile beamed, her entire face was alight as she looked up at her father. And he almost matched her expression, easily showing he'd rather be nowhere else in the world then holding his little girl up on his feet for a birthday dance.

"God she loved him," Alex thought sadly as he ran his finger over the photo. "I wish she'd put this in frame or something."

He considered setting the photo aside but thought better of it. It was down here for a reason he decided and gently slid it back into the plastic. He set the album aside and grabbed another one, this one was used to document trips. It had postcards stuck in the margins of the pages. He moved onto the next one. This one was smaller, a booklet instead of an album. The pictures in the beginning showed a more grown up Keegan, these were more recent. But there was something off about them. Alex studied the photographs and felt his heart shudder.

"Her eyes… the spark's gone… She hasn't really smiled in one of these."

The next page made him stop cold. It was labeled 'Family Portrait' in that same fine handwriting, but a thick black line had scratched it out. Alex could pick Keegan's mother out with no difficulty and she was holding a little boy with honey brown hair and bright blue eyes.

"That's gotta be Zachy…. Then that's…" Alex felt his veins constrict under his skin and his blood freeze solid. His stomach knotted itself and dropped down somewhere in a dark abyss. "Bastard!" He growled.

Even in the picture Keegan leaned as far away from him as she could, but he had his right hand clamped down on her shoulder. Alex squinted and could just make out the way he dug his fingertips into the spot right above her collar bone. He was pulling her back into him, a huge dangerously charming smile on his classically handsome face. His dark hair made his cold blue eyes pop and it wasn't hard to tell they were settled on the teenage girl's blossoming figure.

Swallowing down the nauseous feeling in the pit of his stomach Alex carefully turned to the next page. But this one was empty. The clear plastic covering had been ripped off unevenly and a few strands remained near the top of the sheet.

"Hmm…" Alex turned to the next page. But the picture was missing from this one as well. Only the neat cursive labeled the space on the bottom.

_David & the kids in the pool. Zachy 2. Keegan 16. _

Curiously he flipped to the next one. Not only was the picture missing there too with no more clear cover, but the page itself hung loosely on the binding of the picture booklet. A caption was written on the bottom of this one too.

_Thank God we found David. He's what we're most thankful for this year. _

Alex quirked an eyebrow; but turned to the next page. The photo was there this time displaying a wonderful Thanksgiving table. But the following picture was missing again; the label was still trying to tell people what had been there.

_David & Keegan under the mistletoe…. Give Dad a kiss sweetheart._

Alex's stomach rolled again; he was glad he didn't have to see this picture.

"Trix. You get those boxes yet?" Keegan called while descending the steps.

"I found a few," he replied, "Most of them were full though."

"Yeah…" Keegan began looking inside the boxes. "I forgot I had most of this stuff down here."

"I found these," Alex indicated the small box with the photo albums inside, "…. Do you wanna put them with your other stuff?"

Keegan glanced inside and gasped. "I… I haven't seen these in years…."

She reached in and brushed her fingers over the cover, but immediately retracted them like the pictures inside burnt.

"The first one had the best… You were a cute kid."

"You looked at them?" What once would have been an accusation was now just a simple question. Keegan plunged her hands in the box and lifted out the book; like she had to do it fast before she lost the nerve. The cover moved stiffly when she opened it to the costume page.

"This was my favorite one," she smiled grazing the cat picture.

Alex smiled at her even though her eyes never left the young girl staring back at her. "I figured it probably would be. How old were you?"

"6 or 7. My father dressed up as a mouse to walk around and trick or treat with me."

"Can I show you my favorite one?"

She nodded; Alex slowly turned to the page with the birthday picture. Something like a sob mixed with a laugh got wedged in her throat. Her fingers shook as she reached out to touch the photograph. Alex wrapped his arms around her waist and settled behind her. He told her she was beautiful, she leaned into his whisper slipping the picture out of its protective sheath. She held it by its creased edges as if was a fragile relic from a past life.

"I've never seen you look so happy…. And he loved you so much."

"I used to keep this under my pillow right after…" She bit her bottom lip. "David never liked to see up in my room so I stuck in my sketch book. I meant to put it in a frame when I got my own place… I guess it just hurt too much to remember."

"But look how happy you both were. Isn't that something to cherish?" Alex kept his voice low and right beside her ear.

"It is…." She agreed. "But to look at this and to know what happened… It's just not fair."

Alex pulled her closer still, pressing his chest to her back.

"No, it's not fair… Maybe death never is to the people who are left behind to cope with it. But it's all in how you deal with it. You're stronger for what you've gone through; you can take care of yourself, you know exactly who you are. You made it out of that house and away from him on your own Keegan, you didn't need anybody else."

"I guess…."

The young actress went to slide the picture back into the plastic but Alex stilled her movements.

"Maybe it's time it went in that frame."

Keegan gazed longingly at the photograph for a moment before giving a nod. "Maybe it is."

Alex smiled when she laid it on the top of the sofa. Keegan eyed the rest of the albums unsurely, but reached in for the next one. She flipped through the vacation pictures with an easy smile, she didn't get too far before she closed it and placed it by the first. She took the picture booklet out of the box next. Alex bit his lip and tried to stop her but she opened it up and came face to face with her 14 year old self. She got this far away expression; like she was suddenly right back in that living room in her family's home. A tiny but warm chuckle escaped her when she came across one of her and her little brother, but the pleasantness instantly evaporated when she saw the first picture of her step-father.

"Family portrait," she scoffed vehemently. "Right…. Don't we look like one big happy family?"

Keegan didn't wait for Alex to answer, but what could he have really said? She turned to the next page in the book. She squinted at the ripped plastic, brows furrowing.

"What happened to the picture that was here?" She asked turning to face the wrestler.

"You didn't rip them out?" Alex inquired taking the book from her and setting it open on the sofa.

"Them?" Keegan peered at the empty pages as he flipped through. "…I didn't do this…. I haven't seen these since I packed them up to leave for good. I haven't looked through any of these in at least 4 years. I didn't want him to have anything left of me so I took all the photo albums we had."

"Are you sure they weren't like this when you packed them up?"

"Yes… My mother loved to put these fucking things together, they were all kept so nice," Keegan explained flipping back to the first page without a photo. "All the ones that are gone are of David and me…. The Thanksgiving one he pulled me into his lap by the apron I was wearing and my mother snapped a picture…. The mistletoe..." she shivered after she read the caption.

"And the pool where the both of you are half naked…" Alex muttered as he flipped quickly through the other albums. "None of these are missing any pictures… Check the other ones in the box."

"What? Why would any of them be missing?"

"Nothing else is gone out of the house; not your entertainment system, not your jewelry, not even your laptop or I-pod…. But whoever was in the house clearly went through the place top to bottom…. "

"They went through my pictures?" Keegan asked incredulously.

She watched as Alex skimmed through the albums and lifted the other two out of the box. She thumbed through the pages making sure all the photographs were accounted for.

"These are all fine, none are missing… I still don't understand-"

"Do you have any idea what the tabloids would pay for these pictures of you or stories about your childhood; especially because you won't ever talk about it." Alex shoved the albums away from him.

"But… I did a press kit when I first started giving interviews. Magazines printed up the bio my agent gave them. We never mentioned anything before I started doing plays on Broadway."

"So think about how much candids of you as a kid would go for," he reasoned.

"So you're saying that someone broke into my house to steal pictures of me from when I was a kid. That's a bit of a stretch for even the trashiest magazine." Keegan shook her head.

"No, there's plenty to choose from in the first 2 albums from when you were young. You said it yourself; only pictures of you and David are missing. Who knows what he did to you?"

The young actress' face blanched, her beautiful green eyes doubled in size; disbelief and sheer terror rushing in to fill them. She poked her tongue out to wet her arid lips.

"No one," she whispered.

Alex slid his hand around to the nape of her neck; thumb caressing her jaw softly.

"Think Kam, Emmett and Britt know. They wouldn't tell anybody, but does anyone else know? Merrick or Chase?" The names left a bitter taste in his mouth but he ignored it, imploring her to remember with soft strokes down her cheek.

"I… I don't know. We've never talked about it but they know I have nightmares…" She shook her head and stepped back away from Alex. "This is crazy. They wouldn't break into my house and completely destroy everything for that. Why would either of them ruin my studio, what does that accomplish?"

Alex sighed. He had to admit he didn't have an answer for that yet. But something in his gut told him he was on the right track. None of her so-called friends had ever sat right with him.

"I'll tell the detective about this when I go meet with him tomorrow," Keegan relented. "I know those pictures should be here so you've got something. This is the second time reporters have chased me out of my home."

Alex bit his tongue. He wanted to argue that it wasn't a reporter; too much pointed to the idea that was taking shape in his mind. And as much as he hoped this was over he knew whoever was involved took those photographs for a reason. Keegan covered her face with her hands trying to rub the exhaustion from her weary eyes. She heaved a sigh of her own and began picking up the albums. Alex grabbed her hands in his.

"Go put the kettle on for a cup of tea and I'll clean this up."

She gave him what she could manage in a smile and kissed his cheek.

"Thank-you Trix." She picked up the birthday picture off the sofa and went upstairs.

~xxx~

It was twilight when Alex and Keegan made it to his building. They were bringing the last of Keegan's things up to the apartment, she slung her laptop case over her shoulder and Alex grabbed the larger suitcase from the trunk. He stopped at the front door and turned back to find the young actress gazing up at the first of the evening stars. She looked almost like she wanted to snuggle into their dim glow; her eyes were closed and she rested up on her toes trying to get closer. A gentle breeze blew over them then. It tousled her long scarlet tresses bringing a smile to her face. Alex watched as that calm zephyr soothed her; she settled back on her feet before carding a hand through her hair. She joined Alex at the door and followed him into the elevator.

"The stars are the closest thing we can see of Heaven… My mom used to tell me that after my dad died… she used to say he was still listening to me I just had to talk to the stars. I guess it's stupid really…" Keegan shrugged.

"No it's not," Alex assured. "The universe is billions of years of old; we'll never be able to fully understand its power or depth. And I think that most people are blinded by logic. They miss things because they don't know how to look with their heart anymore."

She waited until they were closed inside the elevator to speak again. Leaning back against the wall she studied him for a second.

"Did you look at me with your heart?"

His glance got stuck on her making his answer slow but all the more truthful. "At first I tried to ignore it 'cause I knew you'd be a handful. But it beat so loud and fast every time I was near you I had to see it… And I'm glad I ignored the logical."

"Me too."

The elevator stopped and the doors slid open letting them out on Alex's floor. Keegan smiled while she headed for his apartment. Alex shook his head as he followed her down the hall. The Guns' apartment was ideal for the two wrestlers; however, adjustments had been made to accommodate Keegan. Alex had given up most of his closet space for her and Chris had agreed to give his tag partner the futon in his room which he stored most of his laundry on. It would be a tight fit, but the Guns had been in more cramped quarters during their Indy days, particularly in Japan. Alex carried her suitcase into his bedroom and found Keegan gazing out his oval window. It reminded him of the night he had learned her secret; the night she had let him in to see the first glimpse of the mess she truly was. It was that very night that made him tune out the rational thoughts and focus on his heart's desires.

He settled behind her, arms around her waist and proceeded to listen while she told him all about her 10th birthday. Her memories were so vivid it was like he had been there; and he knew she was the most joy her father had ever known just from the way she talked about him.

~xxx~

Alex cursed as he stumbled into the dark kitchen; he fumbled the switch for the light above the sink. The small amount of light was just enough for him to grab a glass and fill it with water. After drinking most of it he set it on the sink to stretch the kinks out of his back.

"Damn futon," he grumbled with a yawn.

He knew he wasn't ready to go back into Chris' room and lay on the metal cage that pretended to be a bed. The lumpy mattress was hardly a comfort. He was debating just camping out on the couch when something caught his ear; a quiet piano melody with an innocent _**Tenor**_ vocal floated out from his bedroom. He knocked on his bedroom door before swinging it open. Keegan was propped up against the headboard knees drawn up to her chest with her laptop balancing on them. Her eyes looked heavy even from the doorway, but she fought the pull of sleep by clicking the keys.

"Ya know, if you're not gonna sleep while you're here the futon might be the better choice," he chastised.

"Hmm?" Keegan muted the music playing from her computer.

Alex shook his head and closed the door behind him. Keegan removed her laptop as he sat down in the middle of his bed.

"When's the last time you slept Kam?"

"I can't remember…. Probably the night before my house got broken into."

"That was Wednesday… Keegan, that was three days ago. You need to sleep."

"I can't." She sighed uncoiling he legs under the blankets. "Salinger's not here to lay with me."

"I'll lie with you." Alex bit his lip as soon as he realized what he'd said. "I mean 'til you fall asleep so you're not alone."

Keegan's blush kissed the tips of ears; she turned her head away from him hiding behind the thick curtain of her hair.

"Sorry, I'll just leave…" He started to move, but a small hand on his knee held him in place.

Keegan worried her bottom lip roughly between her teeth. Alex watched the war go on in her emerald eyes; he quirked a brow when she lifted the corner of the comforter. His movements were slow allowing her to reconsider anytime she wanted, but she never wavered. He slid under the blankets and came to rest beside her on the pillows. He was sure she'd keep her distance staying curled on her side, but she cuddled up to him resting her head on his chest. Alex smiled then dropped a kiss to her forehead. He felt Keegan sigh against him and nuzzle into the worn cotton of his gray t-shirt.

~xxx~

The next morning proved to be quite a hectic one. Alex groaned when voices floated down the hall. He instantly recognized Chris and Jamie, and a third one sounded very familiar.

"Mmm," Keegan mumbled from beside him. "What time is it?"

"Fuck that," he yawned, "What year is it?"

"I've got that meeting with the detective today, Britt should have called me."

"I think she might be here."

"Damn…" Keegan grumbled as she turned over to share Alex's pillow. "I didn't really wanna move yet."

The wrestler smirked. He reached up to tuck a free strand of hair behind her ear. Keegan's smile peeked out from the corner of her mouth but it was pure; innocent, trusting, and playful. She let her eyes fall shut while her chin came to rest on his shoulder. Alex carded a lax hand through her ruby hair. Somewhere deep in his chest, directly in the center of his heart a pleasant warmness began to pump through his veins, like he was nipping at a pint of Brandy on a chilly winter day.

Suddenly a knock caused the pair to grimace, but Keegan escaped the blankets and yelled she'd be out in a minute. Alex watched her throw her hair up into a haphazard bun. As she turned back to face him he moaned to himself and had to bite his lip to keep it in. Her mussed tresses and the way his Made in Detroit t-shirt hung off her shoulder caused him to shudder. The way she stood there wearing only his shirt and a mischievous elfin smirk told him he wasn't the only one cursing the interruption. She winked at him and sauntered out of the bedroom to the kitchen. He gaped at her departure and then scrambled out of bed after her.

Chris' blue eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw Keegan. Jamie blushed and busied herself with fixing her coffee. Britt did more of a double take ripping her gaze away from her phone to openly stare at her client.

"Um… Keegan?" She began slowly. "We need to get going soon. That office is way downtown."

Alex appeared behind the young actress and wrapped his arm around her waist stealthily placing a chaste kiss on the nape of her neck. She sighed softly to herself and let her eyes slip shut for a moment. Alex caught Jamie's gaze over Keegan's head and she merely grinned at him while batting her lashes, a slight tinge of pink spread over his face.

"Alright, I'll be ready in a bit," Keegan replied smiling at the boy behind her before going back to his room.

Britt waited until the bedroom door closed before turning on Alex. "Who was that and where the hell is Keegan?"

The brunette chuckled and headed over to the coffee pot. "I'm pretty sure that's her."

"No way," Britt argued. "She's never been that sociable in the mornings… ever."

"Well she's never woken up beside one half of the hottest tag team in the history of world before either." Chris held his palm up but the younger Machine Gun only raised a brow and grabbed the milk out of the fridge instead.

"Dude, c'mon…. How ya gonna leave me hanging?"

Alex shook his head but couldn't deny the blonde the high five. Jamie rolled her eyes but chose not to say anything. Keegan returned a little while later dressed in a ruffled black skirt and an amethyst v-neck. Her hair was tousled nicely and pinned back on one side. Alex smiled at her lack of make-up. Her face was lightly accented instead of hidden under fancy eyeliners and false lashes. She reminded him of the young sprite in the pictures with her father.

"I'm ready," she announced.

Britt checked her watch and gasped. "It only took you 20 minutes?"

"Well I didn't want to be late."

The assistant nearly fell off her chair. She glanced at Alex and he met it with a slight nod. Britt couldn't help the grin that took over her features.

"So I'm coming to watch you tonight," Keegan declared.

"What about the studio? Don't you have to work?" Alex wondered.

"They gave me two weeks to sort this out. Mr. Davenport said I could take more if I needed it. I just have to go in to get a revised script. They've added another scene for my character."

"Well text me after you talk to the detectives. Don't forget to tell them about the pictures."

She nodded and accepted his peck before following Britt to the door.

"Keep them in line Jamie," she called over her shoulder.

The blonde knock out chuckled and assured the actress she would.

~xxx~

The Impact Zone was buzzing with more energy than usual. A special guest would be revealed tonight in anticipation for the upcoming pay-per-view. Samoa Joe was finally going to address his 'Nation of Violence' tonight and much of the show was centered on his angle with AJ and Daniels. Alex and Chris were working out their skit for the night. They were going to be special referees for a match in the newly formed knock out tag division. The Beautiful People were going up against Taylor Wilde and the latest female addition to the roster, Sarita. The Guns were supposed to be favoring the other heel team and were in the ring working on spots with the girls trying to find a way to make their interference believable, while putting Taylor and Sarita over. Chris finally suggested man handling them into the corner while Alex tended the other team on the outside; but the girls were going to slip under the ropes and crotch Chris on the post. Then get back in the ring to sling shot themselves at Alex and the Beautiful People.

"You down to fly Blondie," Alex teased tugging on Taylor's pony tail.

"Hey," she slapped his hand away glaring playfully. "Just make sure you catch us Peaches."

He snickered and grabbed her in a head lock; the former knock out's champion gained separation and switched around to hold him in a waist lock. As they played around and tried out more spots in the ring it became clear that Lauren was a million miles away. She kept quiet, not offering one idea for the flow of the match and her work was sloppy on the mat. As soon as all the details were confirmed she made a hasty exit not even waiting for her partner.

"So… What's with her?" Taylor inquired from her perch atop the turnbuckle.

Jamie sighed. "I don't know she's been bitchy for the past four days. I think it might be family issues though; she always on the phone now."

"Maybe Jeremy's trying to get another date," Taylor ribbed.

The wrestlers left the six sided ring; the knock outs going up through one of the tunnels as the boys headed up another. Alex and Chris barely made it to the hallway before the brunette's name was being shouted.

"Ugh! Storm, I don't care what magazine you have they're all bullshit!" Alex rolled his eyes without stopping to look at this one.

"This one's got pictures man," The Tennessee Cowboy insisted. "They look pretty legit too."

Alex felt his organs compress and sink down into his stomach. He turned on his heel and marched into Beer Money's locker room. James Storm held the tabloid out to him. The sinking feeling worsened when he saw the cover. There was an old picture of Keegan up on the bar at Wonderland. It was grainy and of poor quality but the scarlet hair was a dead giveaway. The caption underneath slapped him directly in the face.

_Are Keegan Malloy's Wild Nights really a CRY for Help? _

Alex ripped the magazine open and skimmed the table of contents. He flipped to page 25; his chest caved in when he found one of Keegan's private photos plastered on the whole page alongside a two page article. It was the Christmas one with her and David standing under the mistletoe. He was pulling her into him, her hands pushing against his chest trying to deflect him. A decorated tree stood in the background; an Angel standing watch on the highest bough. He ignored the printed story and turned to see the other two pictures. They were smaller and were interwoven into the text on the page. The Thanksgiving photo was so blatant, how could anyone dispute what David's intentions had been? He was pulling her back by the apron strings toward his lap unashamedly running his free hand over the curve of his step-daughter's jeans. Keegan seemed mortified in the picture.

"Her mother couldn't have been this blind," he thought in disgust.

On the third page of the story the last picture was displayed. Zachy was wading on the steps of the family's pool; Keegan was sitting on the edge dangling her feet in the cool turquoise. David was standing in the waist deep water positioned in between her legs pawing at her hips trying to pull her in. Alex could imagine her shoving him as hard as she could and running back into the impressive house that filled the whole right side of the picture.

After accessing the photographs and knowing they were the ones that had been taken he whirled around on James.

"Does it say where they got these pictures?" Alex demanded.

"Just from an inside source," Storm replied. "Keegan's camp got a mole in it or something? Those pictures look too real to be doctored."

"Whoever broke into her cottage took these from her. Their fucking scoop was stolen."

"It says that guy's her step-daddy… but no man should ever look at his daughter like that."

Alex couldn't stop the cringe that rippled through his whole body. He gritted his teeth against the scream that threatened to rip out of his throat.

James Storm adjusted his weather worn cowboy hat. "So it's true then? He really did touch her."

"And more," his brown eyes darkened while he skimmed over the article noting that the information was disturbingly accurate. "I wanna know who did this."

"Has she seen this yet?" Robert Roode asked.

"No. She woulda called me."

"We were in the ring 'Lex," Chris reminded, "Have you checked your phone?"

"Shit." The younger native of Detroit rushed to his own dressing room and tore his locker open to grab his cell phone.

He hadn't missed any calls, but he did have a text message from Keegan. He dropped the tabloid on the bench and quickly opened the electronic envelop.

_Meeting went well…. Detectives liked your theory & wanna look into the magazines that print the most about me. I'll see ya soon Trix :)_

He realized that the message was dated a half hour earlier and Keegan would be arriving any minute. He cursed and dialed Britt's number as fast as he could.

"Oh no…. Please pick up."

But just as she answered, Jamie led Keegan into the Gun's locker room calling out a cheerful 'knock knock'.

"Look who I found down in catering… Jay and Jeremy were keeping her company."

"Alex!" Britt yelled through his phone. "Alex!"

All the noise rushed over him crashing in his ears; he found a pair of enchanting emeralds and felt all the oxygen leave him at once. He hung up on Britt, pocketing his phone in one fluid motion.

Keegan squinted at him, she knew something was wrong. "What is it?"

Alex took a deep breath and subconsciously glanced down to the magazine. Keegan followed his line of vision; an audible gasp filled the strained silence. She grabbed the glossy print with threadbare determination and flipped through the pages until she came to the first picture.

"How…?" Her voice was breathy like she'd just gotten punched in the stomach. "When…?"

"I just saw it Kam… I'm sorry."

Alex tried to take the unscrupulous journal from her but she pulled it away and turned to the next page. Her eyes widened as she took in the scenes; her hand found its way up to cover her mouth.

"They can't do this," Alex shook his head. "We'll make them recant the story."

"It doesn't matter now," she whispered. "It's already done. Four years…"

Her knees finally buckled and she collapsed onto the wooden bench. Alex straddled it in front of her taking her hands in his. He brushed his thumb along her knuckles reassuringly.

"Four years I've hid it… I tried so hard…. Why?" She finally looked up away from the polished pages. "Why would someone do this? Who needs to hurt somebody else so bad?"

"I don't know baby," he whispered putting his forehead against hers; his breath warmed her pale cheeks. "We'll find out though."

"How?"

"I don't know," he sighed. "Someone had to know about this. They knew what they were looking for when they went into your place…. They ransacked it to cover it up."

"But no one knows, I never told anyone. Just Emmett and Britt and they didn't do this."

Alex closed his eyes in concentration. Someone must have been there when Keegan had one of her nightmares; someone must have pieced it together. It would have to have been someone she was comfortable enough to fall asleep with. She'd already ruled out Chase and Merrick, and Alex didn't see what they had to gain from this. As bad as they were they seemed to generally care about Keegan. This was cold; this was malicious; like a pair of calculating ice blue eyes.

"Gemini!"

"What? The twins," Keegan shook her head. "No-"

"Don't you dare say that Sage Whitlock wouldn't do something like this," he interrupted. "Stop being biased and think about it."

"I'm not biased when it comes to Sage. I know exactly what she is," Keegan argued. "She's a first class liar and a no class whore who believes she's entitled to anything she wants."

Alex raised his eyebrow at the actress' declaration. "And that doesn't make warning bells go off or anything?"

"But they don't know… None of them do. I've never told any of them because I know they can't be trusted like that. The only people that do know are Emmett and Britt…. And you." She narrowed her eyes at him.

His chin dropped a little under the force of her stare. "Keegan-"

"You're so eager to pin this on one of them… You came up with this incredible conclusion so fast… You're the one who found all the pictures missing…"

Alex wasn't able to formulate a thought right away. It was like his brain needed to momentarily shut down to process the allegation. Finally the disbelief morphed to anger and hurt.

"You're serious right now?" He got up and took a step back from her.

Keegan bit her bottom lip at the expression that passed over his face. She wrapped her arms around her waist. Everything inside her told her this wasn't right. Her silence was a deafening confirmation and Alex was rendered speechless for once. He shouldered pass Jamie who was standing awkwardly in the doorway. She let him pass; Chris tried to grab his arm as he passed the blonde in the hall but Alex shook him off and continued out toward to the back parking lot. He slammed the exit door open and fished his cigarettes out of his pocket. The lighter finally did its job on the third flick and he inhaled the sweet nicotine letting it coat his nerves.


	18. Chapter 18

~Here's the next chapter guys. Not so long of a wait this time :) I hope you like this one, there's definately more drama to come, Alex & Keegan sort of attract it lol. I still don't own anything or anyone affilated with TNA or any other wrestlers..... But i'm not giving up hope. I'll have the Guns one day! Haha. As always thanks to every person that took the time to read this, it means a lot to me. I want to know what you think about everything going on in this story so please keep leaving reviews. I love hearing from you. Thanks agian ^-^~

~Chapter 18~

Alex stubbed out the cigarette dropping the butt to the ground. He heaved a sigh and let his body fall forward into the side of the building. The rough brick bit into his forehead but his thoughts couldn't be tamed.

"How could she?" He thought to himself with clenched fists. "If she honestly believes that…"

Something like a vague whisper argued in the back of his mind in Keegan's defense. It was more than a shock to see those very private photographs on display for the entire world to see. Humiliation was not something that sat well with the proud young actress. Alex thought back to the morning he had licked her cheek in order to wake her up. The joke was not appreciated and Keegan had taken it out viciously on Britt.

"'Cause she knows Britt isn't gonna go anywhere." He said aloud. "God damnit!"

Alex hurried back inside to his locker room. He weaved around the people decorating the hallway disregarding any that called out to him. However, when a hand fell on his shoulder and tugged him to a stop he had to turn around.

"It's not a good time right now Lauren I'm sorry." He tried to shake her off.

"She's gone Alex." The beautiful blonde answered.

"What?"

"Keegan left. I watched her walk out with Jamie and Chris."

"They didn't try to stop her?"

"Like they could," Lauren rolled her blue grey eyes. "You know how damn obstinate she is."

Alex's face hardened at her tone. He sneered at her touch and took her hand away from him.

"Whatever competition you think this is; it's over. There never was one to begin with."

Lauren's jaw became tight and she squared her shoulders out.

"Competition," she scoffed. "As if Keegan Malloy is even in my league; she's used goods Baby Bear. I thought the article made that pretty damn clear."

Alex growled; his hand shot out snatching Lauren around the upper arm. He whipped her around and shoved her into the wall of the arena. The collective gasps of the onlookers were lost on the pair. Rapids of pent up rage coursed through Alex in streams; Lauren trembled just slightly as his grip tightened around her arm, mostly from surprise. Her eyes were wide as she stared into a pair that was much too dark to be familiar.

"Don't ever let me hear you call her that again…" Alex seethed. "You have no idea what she went through and some trash magazine has no right to print that shit."

"I heard it was pretty accurate," Lauren ventured with a dark smirk. A pained snarl left her when he squeezed her arm harder.

"Jealous bitch! Keegan's twice the woman you are."

"And she's had twice the action. I bet she was real sweet for Daddy too." Lauren pressed herself up into Alex and dragged her pierced tongue down the side of his face. 

He groaned and pushed her away; she scowled at the disgusted look on his face.

"Keep Keegan's name outta your mouth," Alex warned. "And stay away from me… This is done."

"Don't be so sure of yourself," she smirked at him.

Alex moved to grab her again, but a gravelly voice made him stop short.

"Everything cool guys?" Jeremy interrupted the exchange.

"We're good," Alex assured keeping his eyes locked onto Lauren's.

She held his glare momentarily before shouldering between him and Jeremy.

"What the hell was that about?" the blonde Canadian demanded.

Alex shook his head as he went up the other hall toward his locker room. He was grateful to find it empty and eased himself down on the bench. He dragged his hands roughly over his face and locked his fingers behind his head. Cursing to himself he realized that Keegan had walked away from him once more.

~xxx~

It was late when the Guns finally left the Impact Zone, an unscheduled staff meeting kept most of the roster. It was practically a guarantee that the x-division was going to be pushed into the spotlight again in the very near future, complete with some new and old talent. Alex tossed his bag into the back seat then fell into the passenger. Chris matched his partner's action and climbed into the driver's seat. He fiddled with the I-Pod turning on 311 for the drive home.

"Dude, I'm stoked about them coming into the x-division. It's gonna be rad. People love the both of them," the blonde mentioned as he pulled out of the parking lot

The only response he got was the music; Alex remained silent.

"Oh-kay," Chris shook his head and turned the song up.

The darker boy drew his hood up. He cracked his window and pulled out his pack of smokes. He waited until he was finished with his cigarette before he turned the music down.

"Why'd you let her leave?" He asked.

Chris sighed. "She wanted to leave. Jamie and I tried to talk her out of it. I knew you'd come back in, but Keegan needed to get out of there. I don't think she was expecting you to walk away."

"I shouldn't have."

"I don't know if I could have stood there either. There's no way she really thinks you did that… right?"

Alex merely shrugged. He hardly knew what Keegan was really thinking; no one did.

"It just stupid though, that's what Jamie and I were trying to tell her, what would you get outta this? I don't know what anyone would get outta hurting her like that."

"Gemini or at least Sage Whitlock wouldn't need to get much out of it. But there would most definitely need to be something; neither of the twins do anything without a reason."

Chris merely shook his head and allowed Alex to switch the music to a local band they knew from Detroit.

~xxx~

They pulled into the condo and Alex was out of the car before Chris had killed the engine. He yanked his bag over his shoulder, and then jogged to the elevator; he didn't even hold it for his partner. Alex raced down the hall to their apartment; he tried the door knob. Disappointment crashed over him when he found it still locked. Digging his keys out of his pocket he let himself in.

"Keegan," he called through the dark apartment.

But no one answered. He dropped his bag by the door and ignored the lights; instead he headed straight for his bedroom. The door was closed but he could hear faint moving. Slowly, he cracked his door open to find Keegan tossing clothes unceremoniously into her suitcase on his bed. She was so intent with her packing that she didn't notice him at first. It wasn't until he saw her wipe stubbornly at her eyes that he entered his bedroom.

"Kam."

She dropped her garment onto the pile in her suitcase and whirled around to face him. To his great surprise her eyes were fierce and a hard pressed resolve resided in them.

"You're back." Whatever anger she had quickly deflated and she all but sighed in relief. She moved toward him but stopped short; she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth.

"You thought I wouldn't be?" Alex furrowed his brows in confusion.

She shrugged. "You walked out on me… I wasn't sure…"

"You chased me away Kam… Do you really think I could do that to you?"

Huge doe eyes implored her to be gentle; the strange vulnerability stole the air from her lungs. Without wasting time on replenishing her oxygen, she strode up to him and took his cheeks softly in her palms. Alex released the breath he'd been painfully aware of holding and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I'm sorry," her words ghosted over his lips in only a whisper before she laid hers over them in a tender kiss.

Even in his hazy state and with his concentration solely on her kiss and intoxicating taste, he was aware this was the first apology he'd ever heard Keegan issue. He pulled back just slightly, when he opened his eyes he was falling into a pair emeralds, their deep rich color offering a soft place to land. He leaned his forehead against hers wanting as little space between them as possible.

"I only wanna make you happy Keegan and keep you safe…."

"I know that, I see it now. Even when I was saying it I knew it was wrong. But then you left me there… and when you didn't come back here-"

"Jeff called a meeting after the show. I was afraid you wouldn't be here when I got home."

"I wasn't going to be," she revealed. "I booked a flight to LA on the way over here."

Alex tensed then he pulled her tighter against him. "You're not going."

He braced himself for the shove and curse he expected, however, Keegan smiled ever so gently and snuggled into Alex's neck laying over him and warming him like a favorite sweater. He dropped a kiss onto her forehead.

"What am I gonna do Trix? Everyone knows…. I don't know what to do." She whispered while sliding her hand down to cover his heart.

"We're going to figure out who did this," he reassured. "But I think you're finally going to have to face you past Keegan. You can't ignore this."

"But I'd have to talk about it… I can't do that…."

"Yes you can. You told me." He carded a gentle hand through her hair.

Keegan sighed while closing her unequivocal green eyes. She inhaled deeply taking in his shower fresh scent; it reminded her of the smell just before a summer storm.

"It's different with you though. You didn't rush me or judge me. Reporters always misquote me and print whatever they want about me. It's not fair."

"So give one interview to a reputable magazine and tell the story you're comfortable telling. You don't owe them anything, you don't have to give them details you don't want to."

"What if no one believes me?"

"The pictures already provided the evidence," he replied as gently as he could.

"I guess…. Will you come with me?"

He brushed his lips against her ear and swore she wouldn't have to face it alone. Noise from the kitchen told the pair that Chris had made it upstairs. Alex suggested they go out and see about a late dinner.

~xxx~

The next morning came earlier than either the actress or the wrestler would have liked. Alex silenced Keegan's alarm with a groan then buried his head back into his pillow. Keegan couldn't stop the smile that inched its way across her face; as much as sharing a pillow with Alex appealed to her, she had to get up. She'd decided to go back to work early; being Delilah Reed seemed easier than being Keegan Malloy and the prospect of turning into her character was something she was looking forward to. But when she felt Alex lay his arm across her side and tug her closer it was suddenly hard to imagine being anywhere else.

"Comfy…" He mumbled into her hair.

She giggled softly and agreed with him. "Yeah, but I have to be at the studio by 9. I gotta get up."

He made a theatrical show of sighing but he didn't release her. She chortled again and snuggled down so her face was level with his on the pillow. She brushed her fingers along the course hair over his jaw ending by placing them against his lips. He smiled before puckering under her digits. Keegan replaced her finger tips with her lips in a chaste kiss Alex easily deepened. His arm tightened around her when she playfully nipped his bottom lip. While the corners of his occupied mouth turned up in a smirk he shifted Keegan to her back. She eased her small hand down his cheek and around to the base of his neck where she tangled her fingers in the short dark hair. Alex skimmed his digits up her side to caress her face. Everything remained unhurried and luxuriously graceful. Alex didn't push her; he allowed her to have the control lifting his head when she broke the kiss. He watched her open her expressive green eyes, loving the way they seemed to sparkle on their own. His brows knitted together when he felt her heart flutter like a hummingbird inside her chest.

"You okay?" He whispered.

She nodded, "just not used to be this close and sober."

Alex leaned away creating space between their bodies, but she pulled him back down flush against her.

"I like it," her lips grazed his.

Keegan's phone began to replay her alarm. Reluctantly Alex sat up and turned it off. The young starlet got up and after a longing glance over at the Detroit native she headed to the bathroom. Alex raked a hand through his hair; he stood up and stretched toward the ceiling slowly waking up the muscles in his back. His bed wasn't as alluring as it had been before. He grabbed his t-shirt from the floor and headed out to the kitchen. He took out two bowls and the ever present box of cereal and put everything on the table before sitting down to wait for the young actress to emerge.

~xxx~

Usually Alex loved doing personal appearances; he really enjoyed meeting the people that supported the Guns and TNA. There was always a good turnout, and most of the fans had a good grasp on the wrestling business as a whole so conversations were interesting. He knew feedback was the only way that his team and his organization would keep improving so he really tried to make an effort to take mental notes on what the fans said.

But as he and Chris sat at the oblong wooden table at the local shopping center near the Impact Zone he quickly realized that something was amiss this time. The majority of the crowd lacked the wrestling paraphernalia that he was used to. Instead there seemed to be lots of teenage girls dressed in their best and tightest waiting to accost the table.

"Dude," Chris leaned over to whisper, "is it just me or did this suddenly get _really_ fun?"

Alex gave his partner a tight lipped smile as he continued to study the crowd. The head of TNA security and the mall coordinator drew back the barrier letting the first fans step up to the table. It was a gentleman with his two sons. Both boys had the MMG dog tags on and TNA shirts. Alex smiled as the father pushed the smaller one forward assuring him it was okay.

"Hey buddy," Alex greeted him while Chris spoke to his brother. "What'd ya got there?"

"Your card from Genesis," he held up the trading card proudly. "You and Chris are the best team ever."

"Wow, ever? Really?"

The little boy nodded emphatically; sandy hair bouncing back and forth.

"Would you like me to sign it for ya?"

"Yes please," he passed it over to the wrestler.

Alex happily signed his first autograph of the day and pushed the card over to Chris who gave him the older boys 8x10 in return. The father snapped a picture of his sons and the wrestlers and they were ushered along, the littlest one waving back at the Guns while he left. Alex gave him a big smile and did the Detroit sign back to him.

He chuckled to himself and turned back to the next person stepping up from the line. It was a teenage girl with a younger one in toe. Both had Jeff Hardy shirts on but a picture of the Guns in their hand. Alex and Chris laughed when the little girl hid behind her sister's legs. Chris beckoned her forward for a high five grinning when she came to him. Alex signed the older girl's picture then switched with Chris.

"You're my favorite," the little girl proclaimed when Alex handed her picture back. "And Jeff."

"Yeah, he's pretty cool huh?"

She nodded with a huge smile, "I like his hair."

Alex laughed and had to agree with her. Another photo was taken and the girls left.

"20 bucks says the little one is a future knockout," he chuckled to Chris then took a sip from his water bottle.

The blonde nodded with a smile and concurred with his partner. Two more girls stepped up this time, both in their late teens. They'd opted for flattering tops and a tight pair of jeans. Each had a magazine in their hand and approached only Alex.

"Hi," he broached tentatively.

"Hi," one began to gush thrusting her magazine at him. "You're sooo hot, and I think it's totally awesome that you're dating Keegan."

Alex felt a knot instantly tighten in between his stomach. He glanced at her magazine in complete disgust. It wasn't a wrestling publication, it was _The Scoop_and a doctored picture of he and Keegan leaving somewhere was splashed across the whole cover.

"Seriously," the second girl chimed in pushing a different magazine with a very similar cover at him. "But like what's up with that article saying she was raped or whatever? Is that true?"

Alex was grateful that he was too stunned to speak; had he had the ability to answer her, no one would have liked the outcome. Chris diligently stepped up. He snatched both magazines and scribbled something across them before rolling them up together and handing them to the head of TNA security motioning for him to remove the girls. He ushered them along handing them back their things as he blocked the exit silently telling them to move on.

"You alright "Lex?"

"More than half these people are gonna be here for the very same thing," he concluded scanning the very long line.

'Well then we'll just have to deal with them. I think our current system works pretty well. I'll hand their shit off to Big Jim and he'll escort them out."

"This is fucking ridiculous."

"You guys ready for the next ones?" Jim asked.

Alex sighed, "Send them up."

This time three girls approached and stood directly in front of the younger Machine Gun. Thankfully Chris kept his word and they were hurried to the exit. The day dragged on like molasses sliding out of a jar; both boys were sticky with false happiness and their patience was paper thin. As the line became shorter so did Alex's nails. He was pretty certain that he'd give his soul for a cigarette.

"Almost done bro," Chris sighed. "I can't wait to get out of here."

Alex merely nodded as he chewed on the remainder of his pinky. The last person to step up to the Guns' table was a rather familiar looking blonde and an adorable little boy.

"Britt," Alex beamed never so happy to see the young assistant.

"Hey guys," she smiled easily. "How did things go?"

"You don't wanna know," Chris shook his head.

"Uh-oh, Keegan came up didn't she?"

"To put it mildly," Alex scowled.

"So who's this lil guy?" Chris smiled at the small boy Britt had by the hand.

"This is my nephew Aiden. We just had to come see you guys today. You're his favorite wrestlers, right punk?"

The little boy's grin was so wide his cheeks looked like a chipmunk's. His exuberance was contagious and Alex couldn't suppress the matching smile that came to his face. The crowds were gone, the appearance was over; Alex made it official by standing from his chair and gratefully stretching. Chris did the same before walking around the table and joining the others.

Alex smiled at Britt then bent down to Aiden's level. "Hey, what's this?"

"They're you," the little boy proudly held up his action figures. "Aunt Roo gave them to me."

"Aunt Roo?" Chris quirked a brow.

"He means me," Britt clarified. "Are you gonna ask them punk?"

"Oh yeah," he gasped, "Can you sign my book please?"

Britt handed him a TNA program book and he fumbled the large paperback into Alex's reach. He righted the tome before flipping through the pages to find his own picture. He put his signature on the glossy page then passed it to his partner. Chris found his picture, completing the request he held it out for Aiden to see.

"Wow…. Thanks," he beamed. "I'm so glad Aunt Roo knows you, this is so cool!"

"Your aunt knows lots of cool people. She works for Keegan Malloy." Alex pointed out.

Aiden's little face fell in a scowl. "She's a witch."

"Aiden Riley!" Britt admonished. "What have you been told?"

"If I don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all," he recited. "But it's true. She always calls you when we're playing together… You always leave me for her."

"And it's my job," Britt sighed. "We've talked about this. Keegan needs me."

"Well she should share you better," he pouted. "You're not her mommy."

Britt snickered and rolled her eyes. "You're impossible punk. C'mon, say thank-you."

"We have to go?" Aiden looked up at his aunt with big watery eyes.

"I have to get Keegan in a little bit. She's almost done at the studio."

"Aww man," he whined, "I don't wanna leave."

Britt smiled sheepishly at the wrestlers. "Sorry. C'mon punk, say thank-you."

Aiden tried to pull his hand out of his aunt's grasp. "But… Aunt Roo! It's the Muh-sheen Guns! Please can't we stay a little longer?"

Britt sighed at his puppy dog eyes and wondered how his mother dealt with the young imp.

"Aiden," she warned while the boy inched himself closer to the tag team specialists.

"Hold on second," Alex grinned, "I may have an idea. What if next week you and your aunt come to watch Impact live?"

A pair of sapphire blue eyes widened at the suggestion and Alex watched as the little boy all but trembled in excitement.

"Really? Oh my gosh, can we Aunt Roo?"

Britt hesitated briefly looking to Alex who nodded affirmatively. "I guess if Alex and Chris say it's okay."

Aiden shouted and jumped up and down, but seemed to suddenly remember his manners and bolted ahead to wrap his small arms around Alex's leg.

"Thank-you, thank-you!"

Alex was only slightly startled; he laughed it off and patted the child's dark hair. "No problem buddy; but you gotta be good for your aunt the rest of the day okay? And try to give Keegan another chance. She's not so bad."

"That's just 'cause you love her," Aiden replied confidently.

A collective gasp sounded around the small boy; he bit his lip and looked up at his aunt waiting for his reprimand. Instead he got a thoughtful chuckle from his favorite wrestler and another friendly pat on the head.

"Could be," Alex winked down at him. "Now don't make Aunt Roo late 'kay?"

Aiden grinned. "I won't tell no one you love a girl."

The older brunette barely held back his laugh at the small boy's serious tone. "Thanks buddy."

Britt chuckled quietly and took her nephew's offered hand when he hurried back to her side. "Thanks guys. I'll see ya later I'm sure."

"Bye Alex, bye Chris," Aiden waved.

The Guns waved back, each giving the little boy his own good-bye. The crew was already cleaning up the area around them; they gathered the rest of their things from the table and left.

~xxx~

Alex sighed loudly in complete contentment. He'd taken a lengthy shower after an intense work out and just settled on the couch relaxing in only an old pair of track pants. Chris had left a while ago for his dinner date with Jamie and Alex was soaking up the quiet after the debacle of the earlier appearance. He raked a hand through his damp hair pushing it off his forehead. He reached over grabbing the remote off the coffee table and switched the television on. The screen came to life showing its regular starter channel; Alex lifted the remote hoping to find a baseball game, but his thumb stopped hovering over the button. The tabloid based talk show was showing the stolen pictures of Keegan. His ears perked when the hostess' voice came over the montage.

"And now in response to this shocking story about Keegan Malloy's childhood abuse we have an exclusive interview with the star's estranged mother _and_ step-father. They contacted us in hopes to get their side of the events out and we'll bring you that interview next week in a prime time televised special. But for all of us at _Star Watch_ thanks for watching and we'll see you tomorrow with more exclusives."

Alex's hand shook as he slowly lowered the remote control. Too many thoughts were hitting him all at once; how could a mother do this to her daughter, how far were they going to go with this, and then all thoughts began to center on Keegan. What would this to do to her? She'd finally have to face her past head on, was she ready?

His phone buzzed jolting him out of his contemplations. Taking it off the stand beside him he slid it open to read his text message.

_Britt & I are on our way. What do you want for dinner?_

He swallowed thickly, apprehension getting stuck at the back of his throat. He slid his phone closed then opened it again and repeated the process a few times before he was able to formulate a response.

_It doesn't really matter. Whatever you want. Just get home… There's something you & Britt need to hear._

Alex read the message to himself several times before he sent it. His head fell forward and all the worries seemed to collide with the front of his skull; he winced and closed his eyes.

"Oh Kam… Please let her get through this… Please let us get through this… Just…," he shook his head, "Please."


	19. Chapter 19

~Here's the next chapter in the Alex & Keegan saga. The plot is thickening for Lauren & the twins, things always get darkest before they get better. Please review, I always love hearing from you guys. Your feedback really helps me. It motivates me and tells me what I'm doing right & wrong. Please keep those comments coming guys. I appreciate all your support & love you guys for reading my stories. Thanks again & enjoy chapter 19 ^-^~

~Chapter 19~

Alex turned over pulling the blankets with him. He reached out looking for the soft warmth of the body that usually lay next to him; it matched the soft warmth that flared inside his chest when he looked at her during the day. He sought the warm tipsy feeling he got when she fit herself to him and put her palm over his heartbeat. His fingers skimmed a silken arm and he pulled her close over the sheets. He felt her shift back away from him, but his slumbering mind didn't register it. He tugged her close to him again, this time leaving his arm around her waist. Her hand moved up to his chest and he gave a tiny sigh. But suddenly she was pushing at him; she kicked at him trying to get away from him, out of his arms.

"N-no…. Don't." She mumbled shoving him away.

"Wha?" Alex sparked to life slowly. "Kam?"

She'd begun to whimper as her strength increased and she tried to move away from the body next to her. Her cries were getting louder, her protests adamant. Alex figured it out when he saw the rapid erratic flutter of her eyelids.

"Keegan," he called quietly and tried to grab a hold of her wrists.

Alex was startled by her reaction; a sob wrenched itself from her throat and she jerked violently to the opposite side of the bed.

"No… Please, please…"

Alex bolted upright when she screamed; it echoed in the darkness, reverberated off the walls filling the room with an instant chill. His heart stopped in his chest, it sucked back all the blood in his veins making him shiver. She cried out again, trembling like a newborn foal.

"Keegan," he attempted to wrap his arms around her but she wouldn't let him.

She pushed him, even threw her fists at his chest. Her air was becoming labored; she missed breaths while she cried in her sleep. Alex caught her wrists and he lay across her holding her to the bed. She never stopped fighting him as he pinned her. She screamed again and Alex felt his heart plummet at the abject terror he could hear in it. He didn't dare hold her any tighter, and simply began kissing the side of her neck. Keegan whipped her head away from the affection. She resisted him; trying to use her knees to create distance as she fought to free her hands. Finally he started talking to her; he placed his lips on the shell of her ear and began to whisper.

"Keegan It's me… It's Trix… It's okay; it's only a dream… He can't hurt you… Keegan, do you hear me? He's not going to hurt you anymore… You're safe now."

Her struggle lessened to minor squirms and whines while he kept talking quietly to her.

"Shh…. You're okay, I'm here. He's never gonna hurt you again. You're safe Keegan."

Her trembling turned to gentle quivers and waned the more he spoke. He slid his hand up to her cheek in a soothing caress, his finger tips came away damp. Keegan mumbled again but she moved into his body clutching his tank top and burying her head into the crook of his neck. She sighed when Alex enveloped her in his arms.

"Kam?" He asked while carding a hand softly through her hair.

She didn't answer him. He glanced down astonished that she was still asleep. He heaved a great sigh of relief and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. His shirt slipped from her fist; her palm slid over his chest to lay flat against his heart. His eyes barely closed before he heard his door click. Chris appeared in the doorway but held his tongue when Alex shook his head. The older boy backed out of the room and Alex saw a flash of blonde and black hair follow him up the hall. He stayed where he was, silently listening for any changes in Keegan's breathing. He made sure she was sleeping soundly again before he eased himself out of bed. He left the door open and made his way to the kitchen.

"You guys alright?" Chris asked.

Alex pushed his hand through his hair and collapsed against the counter. "It was a nightmare. She was dreaming."

"Wow, we were sleeping on the couch when she screamed… It must have been awful," Chris looked down, and then he glanced at Jamie.

She bit her lip and wrapped her arms around herself in makeshift comfort. A gentle hand on the back of her neck caused her to look up into a pair of very concerned cerulean eyes. She managed a tiny smile for him.

Alex groaned in frustration. "I finally get her to come to bed for the first time in nearly a week and then I make her have a nightmare."

"What did you do?" Jamie wondered.

"I must have grabbed her something. All of sudden she was just fighting me and screaming," he dragged a chair out from the table and sat down.

"You probably startled her. She may have been dreaming before you touched her and then your presence made it more vivid," Jamie tried to sound reassuring but Alex's miserable expression didn't change.

"She hasn't been herself since she found out about that damn interview."

"I can't believe that after all this time her parents are really going to go through with that," Chris volunteered. "I mean the damage is done, just leave her alone."

"Something tells me that it's David's idea, but her mother's just letting it happen; like she just let the abuse happen."

"You still don't know who took those pictures or released them to the press?" Jamie asked.

"There still aren't any leads, but I _know_ that Gemini had something to do with this. They haven't returned any of her phone calls. Britt said that Chase Davenport and Merrick have at least been around the studio to see Keegan."

"Well that's not all that comforting bro. I mean if she's this on edge what's stopping her from taking their pills?" Chris only voiced what Alex had been trying to avoid for a week.

"Nothing," the brunette admitted. "But after tonight I'd give her anything she wanted. I've never seen her have a nightmare before… Whatever she sees or relives, it terrifies her. Like, I can't even explain it... It's terrible."

Jamie paled at even the thought; Chris draped an arm over her shoulders. She looked up at him grateful for his closeness. Alex glanced back down the hall toward his bedroom. He trained his ears for the slightest sound but determined Keegan was still asleep. Chris and Jamie offered him a few more minutes of support before they retired to the blonde's bedroom. Alex retrieved a glass of water and braved his room again. Keegan was curled up in the center of the bed. She reminded Alex of a little girl hiding from monsters under her parent's covers. He sat softly on the side of the mattress content to just watch her for minute. Even while sleeping her creamy complexion was fraught with worry. He began to lightly trace his fingers down her arm, across her wrist, along her fingers, and then he delicately took her hand in his. He brought it to his mouth and laid a kiss over the back of it. He hesitated in returning her palm to the top of the comforter, a feeling suddenly crashed over him like a rogue wave breaking on the beach. His stomach fluttered when he realized that he never wanted to see another in his bed. It hit him so hard he consciously wondered how it took this long to occur to him. He never wanted to wake up to any other color but a rich emerald green. He never wanted to hear another voice whisper to him in the dark before he fell asleep. No one else had ever made him want to skip his early morning work outs to sit on the roof of his building and watch the sun rise.

"Trix," Keegan yawned, "what are you doing?"

Alex stared at her for a second as if he'd never seen her before. His heart stumbled in its pace; he was seeing her for the first time.

"…I was just getting a drink."

"Well stop staring, it creeps me out." She moved over slightly indicating that she wanted him to take his spot back.

"You're beautiful." His hand found her cheek in the dark with a tender caress.

He felt the heat rise to her face and withdrew his fingers. As soon as his head hit the pillow Keegan pressed herself into his body, reaching out to bring his mouth down to hers. Alex smiled when she settled her cheek against his shoulder and closed his eyes.

~xxx~

The majority of the TNA roster had arrived by the time the Motor City Machine Guns made it to the Impact Zone. Alex and Chris dropped their stuff in their locker room then went down to the catering area hoping to find a copy of the script. Nearly all the tables were full, but one stood out to the Detroit boys.

"Wow, I can't believe it's finally official," Chris commented. "It was so hard keeping that secret bro."

Alex rolled his eyes. "It's good to see Joe back; I can't wait for him to reveal who's behind the Nation of Violence. Some people have already figured it out, but not as many as I thought."

"Well he was subtle with his hints."

"Subtle? He wore an orange towel down to the ring all the time and was quoting the man's entrance music."

"But most people know him as an announcer; I wonder how they'll put him behind the desk here."

Alex shrugged. "This angle should be interesting man."

"Sabin, Shelley."

The boys turned toward the sound of their boss as Jeff Jarrett called to them.

"Hey Jeff, what's up?"

"You guys are big comic books fans right?" Jeff inquired.

The Guns shared a confused look but Chris replied positively. Jeff smiled and pulled an envelope out of his back pocket.

"Good. You're going to the _Comic Con _next week for press interviews. They'll be a bunch, but ya'll should have fun too."

"Wow… really?" Chris beamed grabbing the envelope and peeking inside. Two tickets and passes were waiting to be used. "Hellz yeah!"

"I think Keegan's booked for that, she's presenting an award too," Alex replied.

"Well so are you. They'll be a packet for you to pick up at the convention from the event coordinator. The award show is the day after the convention," the TNA founder explained.

"Shut-up! Are you serious?" Chris asked in shock.

"Yeah," Jeff chuckled. "I'm glad you're excited Chris."

"Dude this is gonna be so cool."

Alex even had a smile on his face as he looked over the passes. "Yeah, it is gonna be rad."

"Have you seen the script yet?" Jeff wondered. "Sabin's on the card in a singles match against Suicide tonight. Alex is going down with you to run distractions and put you over."

The younger boy snickered and pushed his friend's shoulder playfully. "Looks like an easy night for me bro."

"Whatever. Management just knows who the better competitor is," the older blonde shot back.

Jeff just laughed, advising them to read the script over for the show and then he headed back to his office. Chris folded the envelope and stuffed it into the pocket of his hoodie. The boys snagged a couple drinks before joining a table.

"Sup guys," Alex nodded at the x-division competitors, "let me get the script."

Chris sat down beside his tag partner and they skimmed over the proceedings of the show.

"Dude," Jeremy interrupted, "you guys hear whose taking West's place in the booth?"

Alex and Chris caught each other's glance and smirked.

"You fucking knew all along!" The Canadian exclaimed.

"Only 'cause we stumbled on it. Foley swore us to secrecy man," Chris answered.

Jeremy shrugged. "Isn't it so cool though? Imagine him and Tenay together."

Alex chuckled at the promising pair and returned his attention to the script. He wasn't overjoyed about not being in the ring, but at least he got to go down in front of the crowd. He was reading over the Knockout's segment when his cell phone vibrated in the pocket of his hoodie.

_Someone is very excited to see you tonight ~Kam._

He slid his keyboard out and began to type his answer.

_Just tonight… I thought you were excited to see me all the time ;)_

A second later his phone buzzed with a response.

_HaHa. Not me… Jerk. Britt's nephew is like peeing himself. We've just pulled into the parking lot. There's like a million reporters. Ugh! Where are you?_

_Down in catering reading the script. I got a surprise for you when you get here. _

It was only a few seconds before he received an answer.

_I hate surprises._

_This is a good 1. Promise. _

_Right… We'll see ya soon._

Alex grinned and put his phone away; he attempted to go back to his reading.

"Uh-oh… I know that look." Jeremy teased. "Keegan's here."

"Damn Shelley isn't it enough you live with her; you really need to see her at work too." Jay added.

"I don't see your bitches comin' around to see you," Alex retorted.

Chris cheeks bulged as he fought to keep his drink in his mouth. Swallowing he laughed and ribbed the other two wrestlers.

"Hey guys," Jamie smiled coming up to the table. "Have you heard the news?"

"You're too late Jame. They already knew anyway," Jay glared at the Guns.

"How'd you know," her brows scrunched in confusion. "It like literally just happened."

"Well I mean he is sitting right over there Babe," Chris pointed.

"What does Taz have to do with Lauren getting the Knockouts belt? And please…. That's such old news."

"She's really getting the strap? Good for her," Jeremy rejoiced for his fellow Canadian.

"What do you mean old news? When did you find out?" Chris inquired.

"Like when they first started talking to him, Val told us."

"Us?" The blonde's eyebrows rose up.

"Well yeah, the girls all knew… Didn't you guys know?"

"So hold it…" Jay began. He pointed accusingly at Chris and Alex. "You two knew before me and all the Knockouts knew before you… Why didn't anyone tell me?"

Jamie shrugged, "Val said it was a secret. How'd you guys know?"

"Accidentally," Alex replied dryly.

Suddenly the brunette felt a pair of arms wrap tight around his back. "Oomph. Hey buddy," he glanced down at Aiden.

"Hi!" The little boy beamed up at him. "This is soooo cool! Everyone's back here! I just met AJ Styles! He's awesome, I love his Styles Clash. My brother tried to do it on me on our trampoline but mom yelled at him… I wanted him to try it though; it would have been so c-"

"Aiden," Britt interrupted with a smile. "Take a breath punk… And stop crowding Alex."

"Sorry," he dropped his arms.

Alex laughed quietly and ruffled Aiden's soft dark hair. He caught sight of Keegan over the little boy's head. Despite her smile she had a sort of a faraway look in her eyes while she watched Aiden. He saw her sigh slightly and then she finally looked directly at him. She managed a happier expression when emerald met chocolate; Alex stood up and approached her, he slipped an arm around her waist.

"How was rehearsal?" He kissed her cheek gently.

"Okay. The director wants Jackson and me to take Swing dancing lessons. I'm just not sure about all that though."

"Why? It sounds like it'd be fun," Alex smiled. "You've got some dance training, you were on Broadway."

"Yeah, but Jax is classically trained, I just learned what was necessary for the role."

"Well I'm sure you'll be able to pick it up. Christy's got some dance training, you should talk to her."

"Do you… Never mind." Keegan shook her head.

"No, what?"

"Do you think she'd…? If she's not busy of course, would wanna come with me?"

"She'd probably like it. Yeah. Ask her about it later."

Keegan smiled softly, but it faltered as she thought about something else. "I've kinda realized I don't have too many friends… Like real ones. The twins are ignoring me; Chase and Merrick are always partying. They're both so strung out anymore it's hard to talk to them. I've really only got you Trix."

Alex tucked some of her ruby waves behind her ear and waited until she looked up at him again. He took her in a chaste kiss ignoring the crowded room; she finally melted against him and the tension seemed to leak out of her. Their attention slowly shifted when Britt's phone rang. The assistant checked the screen and immediately grabbed her nephew's hand.

"I don't wanna go Aunt Roo," he protested.

"It'll be a minute, I've gotta take this call," she replied.

"But you always say that and it always takes way longer. And it took us forever to get here 'cause of the paparitz guys." The little boy dragged his feet backward.

"Aiden," she frowned, "this is important. Please."

He sighed heavily, little shoulders slumping forward.

"Hang on," Alex stopped Britt. "We could watch him while you take that."

Aiden's whole face exploded into a grin, but his aunt looked uncertain.

"Please Aunt Roo," he implored.

Britt glanced at her still ringing phone and back at Aiden's hopeful face. "You better be very good. And you listen to everything Alex and Chris say. I'll be back in 5 minutes."

"I will."

Britt made sure Alex was serious again before she hurried to answer her phone putting it to her ear on her way out the door.

"Thanks for letting me stay; it's boring when she's on her phone."

"No problem buddy," Alex smiled. "C'mon over here and meet Jay Lethal and Eric Young."

Chris moved over so Aiden could climb up and sit by him; Alex boosted the little boy up by the arm. He was about to sit on the other side of him but a glance over his shoulder distracted him.

"Kam? C'mon, you know you can grab a seat."

The young actress bit her lip and looked at Aiden. "I think I'm gonna go find Christy. I'll be back in a little bit."

"Keegan," Alex called after her but she never looked back.

He shook his head and sat down with the others. The five wrestlers entertained their young guest and his ample questions. He told them all about his wrestling theme birthday party and how he still had his championship belt on his wall.

"How old are you sweetie?" Jamie asked.

"Five," he held up his hand to show her.

"Wow. You're sure smart, how do you know so much about wrestling?"

"I've watched it for forever with my big brother. He has all the movies too. My sister tries to watch it with us but she always ruins it. She never remembers who anyone is… She's annoying."

Jeremy and Jay barely contained their chortles, and tried to cover them by coughing. Jamie fixed them with a scolding look.

"Girls like wrestling too. How old is your sister?" She asked.

"She's seven. She likes it but she never gets it right."

"You should tell her. Maybe if you showed her all your books she'd remember more."

"Nope, doesn't ever work," Aiden shook his head. "She just thinks the girls are pretty."

"Well what's wrong with that?" Jamie inquired.

"Wrestling is not pretty!" The little boy proclaimed. "Princesses are pretty, wrestling is cool."

This time the raucous laughter couldn't be suppressed. Aiden looked around the table and started to giggle too.

"I think we just found our next tag line for the Knockout commercials," Jamie smiled.

Taylor Wilde came to collect Jamie for pre match planning; she couldn't resist chatting with Aiden for a second even giving the boy a hug good-bye. Jamie patted his head and told him to enjoy the show. As the catering area began to thin out Alex suggested they go look for Britt, and maybe see the ring quick. Aiden eagerly agreed. Alex grabbed the little boy's hand as he and Chris headed back toward the locker room.

There was so much to see; wrestlers were standing around everywhere some were dressed for the show already; there were huge cases and boxes lining the halls; people were running around with papers in their hand. It was a hectic scene; Alex gripped Aiden's hand tighter. They met Britt as she was returning back stage. She scooped Aiden up into her arms and the Guns continued with the tour.

~xxx~

After exploring the Impact Zone Aiden was more excited than ever to see the live event. Britt had just taken him to his seat, the show was starting.

Alex flopped down on the bench in the Guns' locker room. "Man, he's cute and all but damn."

Chris laughed and kept lacing up his boots. "He's kind of a handful."

"Yeah, but he had fun. I'm glad we hung out with him and Britt." He remarked as he checked his phone once again. "She still hasn't texted me. I'm gonna call Christy."

"Red's probably in make-up by now; she's got an interview in the second segment," Chris reminded. "Keegan's fine. I bet she's in her seat already."

Alex slid his phone open and closed. He wasn't as convinced as his friend, but Keegan strolled through the door a moment later.

"Hey," Alex greeted with a relieved smile. "Where have you been? I was starting to worry."

She smirked. "You should know better by now."

He rolled his eyes at her droll comment. She sank down onto the bench beside him and continued.

"I'm fine. The girls took care of me. Christy said she'd come to what lessons she could and help me if I needed her."

"Good. I knew she'd be down. What was with you, you couldn't wait to get out of there earlier."

Keegan was suddenly enthralled with the polish on her nails. She couldn't seem to look at Alex and instead just inspected the color.

"Kam?"

"It's just hard being around him… Britt's brought him to different functions and stuff before and I just… Little kids are just not my thing." She confessed.

"Well I mean they can be a little overwhelming but Aiden's a great kid. He's really smart, and as long as you talk about wrestling you don't have to say much," Alex sniggered.

Keegan's lack of reaction caused him to stifle the noise. "So, you should probably get to your seat, the shows started already."

"I know, but I wanna watch it back here on the monitor, I have a headache. Besides, I don't want to cause a scene for him."

"He's close to Zachy's age isn't he?" Alex finally figured it out. "He reminds you of your little brothers."

Keegan winced and looked away again; she couldn't find the strength to deny it.

"Have you gotten to see them since you left?"

"No. I used to send birthday cards and my mom sent a few pictures to a New York address but I haven't seen them. David sent me letter once so I closed the post office box and haven't contacted them since." She explained curling in on herself.

"I know it won't make up for it, but maybe if you tried getting to know Aiden it would bring some closure. What about volunteering for a kid's charity or something?"

Keegan's chuckle was all sarcasm while she blatantly refused the idea. "I wouldn't even know where to start. I'm awkward with kids. I'm just not the maternal type; I clearly didn't have the best role model growing up."

Alex had no argument; he simply placed a comforting hand on her knee. The young actress offered him a strained smile. The fluorescent illumination in the locker room washed out her fair complexion; however, the weariness in her eyes was no trick of the lights. Alex honestly thought about backing out of the show and taking her home, but the practical side of him wouldn't let him entertain the idea very long.

"We can leave as soon as I'm done, I'm not wrestling tonight," he told her quietly.

"Why?" She finally looked at him.

With a shrug he replied, "I'm going down with Chris but I'm just a valet tonight."

Keegan nodded halfheartedly. Alex suddenly had an idea; taking her hand he led her down to Jeff Jarrett's office. He knocked then waited for an answer. The founder of TNA swung the door open a second later.

"Alex, Keegan. What can I do for you?" He asked pleasantly in his southern twang.

"I have a favor to ask." The young x-division star began.

"Uh-oh," Jeff teased. "What's up Shelley?"

"Can Keegan stay in your office for the broadcast? She's not up for crowds tonight."

"Well of course. I've got a meeting with Dixie in a few minutes and then I have a promo scheduled, but you're more than welcome to rest in here for a while. The show's on the monitor."

"I don't wanna disrupt anything. Are you sure it's alright?" She inquired.

"Absolutely," Jeff gestured them inside. "I'm on my way out, it's fine. Alex can make you comfortable and you can stay in here as long as you want."

"Thanks Jeff," Alex urged Keegan inside.

He assured the brunette that it was fine and then left for Dixie Carter's office. Alex steered Keegan to the plush suede couch, ignoring her slight protest he pulled her down beside him.

"You didn't have to do this," Keegan argued but the small appreciative smile told him otherwise.

"I didn't do anything, Jeff was already leaving."

Alex felt her settle against his side and he draped an arm over her shoulder. The opening match featuring Consequences Creed and Amazing Red was almost over, Creed was going over clean. They didn't speak much, but it was a comfortable silence. Alex stayed until he had to go meet Chris at the tunnel for their entrance.

The blonde was waiting at the steps for his tag partner. He nodded as the other approached.

"Everything okay?"

"She's in Jarrett's office, it's quiet in there. We're leaving after the match."

Chris agreed and then the sound of bullets told them it was their cue.

~xxx~

The match went as planned; Chris won with Alex's help. They celebrated in the ring for a second before heading up the ramp. They made sure to stop by Aiden and Britt; Alex winked at the little boy and followed Chris backstage. Jamie was waiting for them by the steps at the tunnel; she was still dressed in her ring attire. She was ringing her hands together and muttering to herself. As soon as the boys descended the few steps she hurried over to them.

"What's up Babe?" Chris asked. He immediately forgot the twinge in his elbow from a rough landing against the fan barricade.

"I think we have a slight problem," she began biting her lower lip. "Gemini is blowing up Lauren's phone. She missed a ton of calls from Sage and some from Poe when she was in the shower. When I asked her about them she bit my head off, threw all her stuff in her bag and stormed out."

"What?" Chris furrowed his eyebrows.

"Why would she be talking to them?" Alex wondered.

"That's what I asked her," Jamie replied, "she said something about the twins understanding something and someone thanking her in the end for what they'd done."

"This doesn't make any sense," Chris shook his head. "What could Lauren and Gemini possibly have in common?"

Alex stopped listening after that. A huge knot punched him right in the gut. That uncomfortable meeting in the hall last week came back to him.

"Keegan!"

His interruption silenced Chris and Jamie. He didn't give them the chance to say anything else.

"Keegan is what they have in common…. Shit!" He took off down the hallway pushing one of the techs out of his way.

Alex sprinted straight to Jeff Jarrett's office; he heaved the door open, bracing himself for whatever he found. He wasn't sure what he expected, but he found Keegan curled up on the couch where he'd left her fast asleep. He forced his body to take deep breaths to calm his racing heart and then quietly entered the room. He bent down and brushed back a tendril of scarlet hair.

"Kam," he whispered.

She shifted to her back before slowly opening her green eyes. Blinking blearily a small yawn escaped her. "Are you done?"

"Yeah," Alex smiled softly. "Let's go home Baby."

Keegan stood gracefully; Alex reached for her hand and laced their fingers together. He left his bag in his locker and they headed directly for the exit. She hesitated at the back door.

"The reporters are probably still out there," she sighed. "We barely made it in even with security."

"The car's only across the parking lot. We'll make it, just hold on tight." He squeezed her fingers gently.

She nodded and took a deep breath. Alex pushed the door open and all at once flashes and cameras assaulted them from all angles. Voices shouted over each other and jumbled together. Increasing his grip on Keegan's hand he pulled her defiantly through the hoard.

"Keegan, do you have anything to say about your parents' interview tomorrow night?"

"They say you're allegations are untrue, were you really abused?"

"Alex, how did you feel when you found out about the abuse? Did she tell you before?"

"Do you have any idea who released the private pictures or how they got them?"

"What do you want to tell your young female fans?"

It was nearly deafening to Alex, he tried to block it all out and focus on the car. He heard Keegan yell. Her hand jerked out of his; he clamped down on the tips of her fingers and whirled around. The reporters were brazenly surrounding the young actress, almost like they were trying to separate her from Alex. His shouts got swallowed up in all the noise; but a few stiff elbows to the ribs opened up the cluster again. He glared right back at the overzealous photographers and wrapped his arm around Keegan's waist. She clung to the back of his t-shirt as he pushed them forward. She yelped when one tried to grab her arm. Without even thinking about it Alex pivoted around and punched him square in the jaw. He dropped his camera and fell backward into the others. The only thing that stopped him from clocking the guy again was Keegan. She was shaking beside him. He cursed at the reporters and trudged forward. Keegan ordered them back threatening them with lawsuits if they touched her again. The ravenous photographers didn't seem very fazed. Finally, Alex was able to yank the back door open and shove Keegan in the car. He scrambled in the driver's seat and immediately revved the engine. He gave them a few seconds to back up before he peeled out of the parking lot. He flew around Universal Studios out onto the main highway.

"Jesus!" He cursed glancing in the rearview. "That was fucking crazy."

"They've never been that bad before," Keegan said as she climbed up into the passenger's seat. "I'm telling Britt to call someone tomorrow. They can't do that… They purposely tried to get between us."

"I know. That one grabbed you. Are you okay?" He took his eyes off the road to look at her.

"Yeah, it didn't hurt, just scared me." She pulled up her sleeve to check for marks. "I can't believe you just punched him like that."

"Are you fucking kidding me?! He's lucky I wanted to get you out of there so bad."

Keegan chuckled slightly. She leaned over and kissed Alex's cheek. "My hero."

He snickered as well and let her tangle their fingers together and rest them on her lap.


	20. Chapter 20

~Hey guys... Sorry about the wait. I know it's been a while but I finally got the next chapter of Keegan & Alex up. I'm kinda proud of this one... Hope you guys like it. Make sure you tell me what you think. I love your reviews. They make my whole day & you guys always have great feedback. So let me know, kay? Thanks & enjoy ^-^~

~Chapter 20~

"Are you sure you wanna do this?" Alex asked remote control in hand.

Keegan took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She moved to the edge of the middle couch cushion; she nodded slightly and he clicked the television on. _Star Watch_ flashed across the screen as the show's theme song played. The co-hosts for the night were dressed much differently then they usually were. They were wearing rather formal attire; making it clear that this was a special occasion.

"Hello everybody," the female anchor began, "tonight we have a very special report from a very special source."

"That's right Rebecca," her male colleague added. "Tonight we'll be airing that exclusive interview with Keegan Malloy's parents. Tonight all the questions are answered, all the allegations are addressed, and you'll be shocked at what we found."

"It's a somber interview and viewer discretion is advised. The questions and the answers get very personal. And now, here's our primetime exclusive with Kate and David Montgomery."

A montage showed the stolen pictures again and then the shot slowly settled on the female interviewer and two infamous figures. Keegan gasped out loud when she saw her mother and step-father. Alex put his hand on her knee, but all her attention remained on the screen. Britt was on the other side of her madly typing on her black berry, she was going to be sending a live feed to Keegan's website to combat the answers presented on the television. Jamie was seated in the armchair next to the couch and Chris had moved one of the kitchen chairs next to her.

David was sitting closest to the female anchor, Keegan's mother right beside him. His dark hair was styled back letting his ice blue eyes stand out. He had an open charming smile, but his smile didn't reach those frosty eyes; like it was painted on. His suit and tie were contemporary, he was a handsome man and he obviously knew that as he sat up straight in his chair. Keegan's mother sat quietly next to him. She was dressed in a smart beige skirt and jacket. Her ankles were crossed and she kept her hands tucked neatly in her lap. Her auburn hair was pinned back with a few pieces falling down to frame her face. She wasn't old looking, but the lines around her hazel eyes betrayed her youthful appearance. She continued to look at her husband while he gave the introductions.

"Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery thank you for taking the opportunity to talk to us," the interview began.

"We appreciate the opportunity to tell the truth about these stories," David replied calmly.

"You're calling them stories, is there any truth to what has been alleged?"

"If you're asking if I abused my step-daughter, the answer is absolutely not." David's voice held an authority that was used to be being followed. "These allegations are not only untrue, they're disgusting. I would never hurt Keegan that way. I loved her like she was my own, even if she never reciprocated it."

"What was the relationship like with your step-daughter? Was she always a wild child?"

"Not always," Kate answered matter-of-factly. "She was a wonderful little girl; she had a smile that could brighten the whole room. She was very creative and always had some sort of project going on; plays she was writing or pictures she was drawing. It wasn't until after her father died that she started acting out. She went to a very dark place."

"How old was she when her biological father died?"

"She was 14," her mother sighed, "he passed quite suddenly in a car accident. Keegan was devastated. She was such a daddy's girl. She had such a hard time with losing him."

"It was a big adjustment for her," David chimed in glancing at his wife. "When I met Kate I knew I had to marry her right away and it was a short engagement. Keegan had a very difficult time accepting me into her life. She never really opened up or gave me a chance. Not that I blamed her. She was a child and she was hurting more than any child should have to."

"Were there many fights in the beginning?"

"There were fights all the time. She never did anything we asked her to do. She used to sneak out all the time. She had a close group of friends, mostly boys. I never really approved of that. But I didn't say anything. I didn't want to be the bad guy. The evil step-father if you will."

"Did things change as she got older?"

"They got worse." David sighed deeply. "She started drinking at a young age; we found marijuana in her room on several occasions. We'd just had a baby and I didn't want that in my house. I threatened that she'd have to leave if she didn't straighten herself out. She ran away for three days. I just didn't know what to do, all I saw was my wife hurting and worrying all the time. No one could reach her."

"How long has it been since you've spoken to your step-daughter?"

"We haven't heard from Keegan in three years. She used to send her little brothers birthday cards, but I guess she's gotten too busy to remember them these days."

Alex felt Keegan shift beside him; she pulled her knees up into her chest and locked her arms around her legs. Her teeth were sunk so far into her bottom lip that he worried blood would start dripping down her chin. But she had remained silent so far, and that only made him more apprehensive.

"Now that we have some background let's switch gears; these pictures that have been released to the press, some say that they're all the proof needed to support the accusations."

"Well then I think they're the ones with the problem." David retorted. "I never touched my step-daughter inappropriately."

"What do you see when you look at these photographs?"

"I see a step-father desperately trying to show a teen-ager that he's not the enemy and that he loves her. I tried very hard to get Keegan to accept me. I wanted her to feel loved and not like we'd just forgotten her once the boys were born. I wanted her to feel a part of her family."

"Well, some would argue that you went a little too far. The picture that has been said to be the most disturbing is the one holiday one, I believe it's Thanksgiving."

The picture flashed up on the screen and Keegan winced looking away. Alex put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him; she leaned into the comfort resting her knees against his leg.

"If you notice the placement of your hands Mr. Montgomery they're obviously touching Keegan in an intimate way."

"I was joking. The whole family was joking around in the kitchen; we had a houseful that year. Keegan was always too cheeky for her own good. In a joking manner I told her she needed to be spanked. I was pulling her back as a joke. There were no perverse reasons behind it and anyone who can see that is sick."

"Keegan doesn't look very amused."

"She never liked to be the butt of jokes. She's very sarcastic, and doesn't really like when the tables are turned," Kate finally spoke up.

"My wife was right there; if there was something devious going on don't you think she would have known?"

"Did you ever suspect that something was going on?"

Kate immediately shook her head. "No. I know the man I married and I know my daughter. I knew which one was telling the truth."

"Are you saying that Keegan told you about the alleged abuse?"

"She made up all kinds of stories, and when I asked David about them he said they weren't true. I know he's not capable of what Keegan's claimed."

"Did you ever involve the authorities?"

"Of course not."

"You simply took your husband's word over your daughter's?"

"I had psychiatrists tell me that she was simply showing displaced grief and anger over her father's passing."

Keegan promptly sat straight up. "That's a lie! I never went to a shrink with her. Britt, tell them that's a lie."

Britt nodded and kept typing on her black berry. It got quiet again as her mother continued to give her answer.

"I didn't want to put her on medication. Of course she was already taking pills recreationally at the time. She was lying then just like she's lying now."

"It's believed that these pictures were stolen from Keegan in that strange burglary a few weeks ago, do you have any idea who would want to release them to the press?"

"It was probably Keegan's own doing," David accused. "Honestly who breaks into someone's house and steals pictures out of albums? She's got herself all over the tabloids and that guy she's dating isn't anything but trouble. I mean look at the incident that took place last night. He's obviously got anger issues, he just punched that reporter."

"You punched somebody last night?" Chris looked over Jamie's head to his tag team partner.

"Damn straight I did." Alex nodded proudly. "They were fucking surrounding us and one of them grabbed her and I turned around and fucking dropped him."

"They really grabbed you?" Jamie asked.

"They deliberately tried to get between us and then this guy just latches onto her arm. What was I supposed to do?"

"Even if it was justified you can't make that a habit Alex," Britt gently admonished. "This time I smoothed it over saying you were coming to Keegan's defense and you're damn lucky that guy didn't wanna press charges."

"I wanna press charges for harassment. They can't just touch her like that, can they?"

"Absolutely not, that's half the reason you got away with it," she replied with a small approving smile she really wasn't allowed to have.

"Shh." Keegan objected softly, "they're almost done."

"Well, it's been revealed that the photographer got rough with Keegan and Alex was just protecting her; no charges have been pressed."

"I just want her to be careful, he's a professional wrestler for God's sake," disdain dripped off David's tongue. "His anger could easily turn on her."

"Fuck you!" Alex spat sitting up.

Keegan instantly reached over and slipped her fingers between his. He sat back, but kept bouncing his knee up and down.

"Do you miss Keegan?"

"Of course we do," Kate answered right away. "She's our daughter and we'll always love her, she's just troubled. I don't know what she believes anymore, but I know that my husband is a good man and he loves her like his own. He never hurt her in any way. And I hope she regrets this decision to make all these horrible things public because not only does it hurt us, which she probably wants, but it hurts her little brothers. They're innocent in all this and don't understand why their Sissy is saying all these horrible things about their Daddy."

Alex felt her hand get clammy; he wasn't surprised when she pulled her hand out of his. She finally had to get up and go into the kitchen. Alex hurried after her leaving the rest of the interview for the others.

She was gripping the counter top with pale knuckles and visibly trembling when he came in. He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind while brushing his lips along her neck. He felt her take a deep breath, she laid her head back on his shoulder.

"This wasn't as hard as I thought it would be," she finally said. "I mean I knew he wasn't going to admit it. Zachy and Ryan are better off believing he's the good guy anyway. They should love him instead of me."

"They're little, they don't understand it, but I'm sure they still love you," his voice was low and right in her ear.

She turned in his embrace and tucked her head under his chin; her hand went up to his chest so she could rest her palm against his heartbeat.

"I just don't wanna hurt them anymore. I'll try to contact them when they're older. They don't need this. My mother was right. I just wanna know who took my pictures. The police aren't any closer now than they were a few weeks ago."

Alex bit his lip almost like he was stopping himself from mentioning Gemini again. He had more questions now than he did when he presented her his theory the first time. Lauren and her involvement puzzled him the more he thought about it. What could she possibly have to do with the twins?

"I've been thinking though," Keegan declared, "about what you said about the twins. Merrick said that Sage texted him about the interview tonight weeks ago, but it wasn't advertised until last week. How'd she know?"

"I'd say a good guess if it was anybody else, but it's too much of a coincidence with her. She's gotta be involved."

"I didn't wanna think so, but it does make too much sense. She's too smart to dirty her own hands though. And any magazine she went to would've leaked that she was the source if she had done it directly. That's too good of a story to pass up."

"I don't think she would've risked that. She wanted to make sure your story was the only thing that got the spotlight."

"Well then who agreed to go to the press for her? It couldn't have been Poe or Chase, and Merrick wouldn't have told me if he had been involved."

"No…" Alex shook his head, pensive eyes scrunching as he tried to see it. "She would've gone outside your circle, someone who doesn't really have anything in common with her."

"Sage's supply of friends is rather limited," Keegan indulged in a spiteful chuckle.

"Fuck!" Alex's arms dropped from her frame and he slumped back like he'd been slugged. He felt all the color drain from his face; he raked his hands in his hair and tugged on the ends.

"What?" Keegan glanced over him for some sort of ailment. "What's the matter?"

She moved closer to him, slipping her hands around the top of his jeans; but he stilled them unable to meet her worried eyes.

"It's my fault," he mumbled. "I should've known."

"What are you talking about?" Keegan backed away from him this time. "I won't ask you again."

"It was always a competition to her. Jesus she told me it wasn't over yet… I should've listened to her-"

"Alex!"

"It was Lauren… She's the one that was involved with Sage. Probably from the night we went to that sushi place."

"What? Why?'

"Because of me," russet eyes flooded with shame. "She wanted me. If she could make you look like _damaged goods_ then I'd want her."

He looked up when he heard the chair scrape across the floor. Keegan had stumbled back into the table. She held on tightly for the support.

"And do you?" She whispered.

"No. If I did then I would've taken her in the hallway last week."

"What?" Keegan's jade eyes darkened and narrowed. "What the hell happened last week?"

Alex sighed and cursed himself, "nothing."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Clearly something happened or else you wouldn't have said anything about it."

"I was coming back to find you but you'd left already. She approached me and said some stuff and I told her anything between she and I was over."

"Was there something between you and her?"

"No… You're not listening to me."

"You're talking in circles."

Alex shouted and slammed the cupboard. "God damn it! I'm telling you that I don't want anyone else; that I fucking lo-" He clamped his teeth over his bottom lip and squeezed his eyes shut. He rubbed his hands roughly over his face while taking a very deep breath. "Can we not have this argument right now? I've just figured out that someone I considered a pretty good friend conspired to purposely hurt someone I care a lot about. The last thing I need is for you to pick a fight over some petty bullshit said in a hallway like we're in 9th grade."

Keegan stood back with wide eyes; she looked very much like that petulant child being scolded by her principal. She sighed and dropped her arms. The actress and the wrestler allowed the space to lie between them, staring at each other for a few awkward seconds.

"You've gotta understand that this is hard for me too," Alex finally began. "I've got to watch you get hurt repeatedly and I'm powerless to actually do anything about it. That kinda kills me Kam."

Her expression softened and she tucked back a piece of her hair. "I guess I'm not used to that. Having someone genuinely care about me is still kinda weird to me. And you're always so in control ya know, I'm the one that falls apart all the time. I didn't mean to make it seem like this doesn't affect you… And I'm sorry about your friend."

Alex winced; a moment later he felt a pair of tentative arms encompass his waist. He looked down into her emerald eyes and slowly uncoiled himself to accept her embrace. Keegan began to place gentle butterfly kisses against his throat causing him to sigh softly.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Lauren. It just didn't seem as important at the time."

"Apparently we have a lot to learn."

"We'll learn it… Together."

"Yeah." She nodded seeking out his dark chocolate eyes. "Together."

Alex instantly tangled his fingers in the thick tresses at the back of her head and crashed his lips over hers. She whimpered into the affection when his tongue demanded entrance into her mouth; he usually kept all his touches light giving her control, but this time heat sparked in his blood. Something primal overtook him upon hearing her agree with his sentiments. Words suddenly weren't enough. He needed to make her feel it; feel him. There was this impulsive urge to vanquish any and all doubts from her mind. He needed her to taste the sincerity and the certainty on his tongue. He needed her to _know_ what he'd slowly come to realize; that she was all he'd ever wanted.

~xxx~

The Motor City Machine Guns glanced around wondering just what they had gotten themselves into. Jeff Jarrett had lured them into this by dangling their boyhood fantasies in front of them, but he never mentioned the absolute chaos that would surround them on the press walk. All their favorite comic book characters had been brought to life around them, but they had yet to enjoy the festivities as they had been pounced on by a whole team of coordinators and appointed talent assistants the second they arrived. To make matters worse, Alex would catch glimpses of Keegan in the crowd every so often and he couldn't tell if he wanted to wave or turn his back to her. Despite all the progress they were making, neither had the foresight to discuss how they would answer questions about their relationship. Alex watched as she tossed her ruby waves back over her shoulder as if she was completely at ease with the invasive inquiries.

"So growing up what would you say your favorite comics were?" Another microphone was thrust in his face.

He had eagerly answered this question the first dozen times, and although he had memorized his whole response by now, he was grateful this one hadn't strayed to more personal topics as half the others had. He heard Chris recite his answer first and then leaned in to relay his lines. A few more journalists later and the boys were finally at the end of the press line. Alex eyed the promise land just beyond the last camera and microphone; an earned sense of excitement washed over him. The Guns went through their answers, pushing the TNA game as much as possible each hearing their boss' voice float in and out of their heads. Just as the interview was concluding, the reporter's eyes widened behind his glasses; he quickly nodded to someone and Alex felt a familiar body being wedged into the shot.

"Well isn't this a treat," he adjusted his grip on the mic, "The very beautiful Keegan Malloy has joined us."

"Hello," her voice was wearing that soft velvety texture she so easily slid it into. "Just thought I'd come crash the party. 'Sup boys?"

"Hey girl," Chris smirked slipping a friendly arm around her shoulder.

"You guys clearly know each other, and if we believe the rumors two of you know each other quite well, what do you have to say about them?"

"Well much to the chagrin of the numerous fangirls out there, and despite that Chris and I have gone on record admitting that we are in fact committed heterosexual life mates, operative word being heterosexual of course, we refuse to comment any further on the nature of our relationship."

"Alex!" Chris huffed, brows tight together. "Really dude… Who says _chagrin_?"

"Seriously," Keegan simpered, "where was that when Jay Lethal was beating you guys at scrabble the other night?"

"Hey," Alex held up an adamant forefinger, "We had two triple word scores. He cheated."

Chris chuckled while the actress shook her head.

"So it seems you're quite close with the entire TNA roster Keegan, do you spend a lot of time backstage?"

"I'm fortunate enough to have been invited back to meet some of the stars, I've got a few fans backstage and I'm a huge fan of all the TNA talent so it was great."

Alex gave a small sigh of relief at her diplomatic answer, and then hurried to block another fishing attempt.

"Everyone has seen at least one of her movies; she's one of the few actresses today that really appeals to all demographics."

"Aww, well thanks Shelley. I've gotta say that TNA is really the superior brand out right now, it's totally the place to be. Everybody's crossin' the line." She caught his eye and bit her bottom lip to hold back her smirk.

"Well with advertising like that I can see why," the reporter said and leaned his microphone toward Alex for his response.

He barely contained his chuckle; a small thrill ran through him, like they were getting away with something illicit right there in front of the cameras and recording equipment.

"Hey, I'm only saying what everyone already knows. And I for one cannot wait for your next movie to come out, I hear it's gonna be a big departure for you and I'm excited to see it in theatres next year."

"Well, that's all the time we have," the journalist informed. "Thanks for joining us guys, and I'm looking forward to all your presentations at the award ceremony tomorrow night."

"Hey, thanks man," Chris stuck his hand out genially.

The reporter accepted it with a small frown. The boys kept Keegan between them as the trio headed off the press junket. She placed a casual hand on Alex's shoulder and he nodded toward an unoccupied corner by the bathroom. They meandered through the hoard of characters and onlookers camouflaging themselves behind a large cardboard cutout of a mean looking alien.

"That was fun; you should've seen your face when I came up behind you." Keegan laughed.

"It was pretty funny man," Chris added. "You looked like someone just killed your puppy in front of you."

"Shut-up," he chortled shoving his friend playfully.

"He really thought that we were just gonna start making out or something."

"Nah, he wanted me and Chris start mackin' for sure though."

The blonde laughed this time and made sure to bat his baby blues at his tag partner. Alex made a show of winking at the gesture making Keegan roll her eyes at their antics.

"Are you done with all your interviews?" Alex wondered.

"Yeah, but I've got to go shoot a skit for the opening package of the ceremony tomorrow night. It's supposed to be funny, so we'll see."

"What are you doing tonight then?"

"I have no idea yet; I'm not sure when it's supposed to wrap. Are you done for the day?"

"Yup," Chris nodded, "we're not nearly as cool as you are."

Keegan smirked, "well no one really is."

Alex chuckled and laid his arm across her shoulder. "I do love your humble nature."

Her black berry vibrated in her jean pocket and she pulled it out. Britt's text message told her she needed to make her way to the nearby studio to shoot her spot for the award show. She sighed rather loudly and typed her response then stuffed the phone back in her pocket.

"I guess I'll text you when I'm done, maybe we can do dinner."

He nodded, "yeah, let me know."

Keegan kept hold of his gaze for a moment longer, those bewitching green eyes ensnared him and he couldn't move until she finally blinked away the spell. She reached up, but instead of the embrace he expected she took the MMG dog tag from around his neck. She slipped the ball chain around her own head and the tag settled in the middle of her chest. Alex smiled as he looked at her. The tight blue jeans and the black lace tank top showed off all she had to offer. Her scarlet hair was tousled in waves then pinned back with some bangs left to hang over her eye. His necklace stood proudly out of place against her styled look. He grinned and barely stopped himself from claiming her lips for his own. A sexy smirk twitched at the corner of her mouth; she wrapped her small hand around the tag and sauntered away.

"Later boys," she called back to them before the crowd swallowed her up.

Alex sighed straining to see her until it was impossible to pick her out anymore. He turned back to his tag partner who was unsuccessfully trying to hold in his laughter.

"What?" the brunette barked.

Chris shook his head. "Forget it Romeo. Can we just go check this place out now; that is if you're done making googley eyes at your girlfriend from across the lunch room."

"Shut up," he threw a half hearted punch at his shoulder.

"C'mon bro. I'm trying to see that DC booth today." Chris shoved him toward the general direction of the festivities.

~xxx~

The hotel was full and the lobby was buzzing with activity. The Guns easily maneuvered to the front desk toting their back packs. They got their room keys and made their way to the elevator. Chris got on first, but a crop of long dark brown hair caught Alex's eye. He was staring hard back at the desk trying to see between the bodies.

"Dude, you coming?" Chris stopped the door from sliding closed.

"Yeah," Alex took a step but didn't look away from the girl at the desk. "Who else is supposed to be here?"

"Um… like everybody. This is a pretty big event."

He finally joined his team mate on the lift but something in his stomach told him the sooner this ceremony was over the better. Once the boys were settled into their room they called Jeff Jarrett and let him know how the press interviews went; they left out all the questions that seemed to focus on Keegan. The TNA founder was pleased to hear that most everyone was eager for the release of the game. After all their responsibilities were finally over, they raided the mini bar each grabbing one of the small bottles of beer. They cracked them open and chugged them down. Alex claimed victory just a second before Chris slammed his bottle on the desk.

"Fucker," he cursed. "I'll get ya on the next one."

"Let's go bitch," Alex taunted.

As the night wore on the fridge's stock of beer dwindled; they decided to leave the harder liquor and headed down to the bar in the hotel. It was more crowded than they expected when they got off the elevator. So many Hollywood elites were sitting around the tables and at the bar. Chris would nudge Alex every few seconds as he spotted someone else.

"Dude," Alex groused. "Would you chill? I mean they are just people like you and me."

The Guns grabbed two stools near the end if the wrap around bar and ordered two more beers. They enjoyed their buzz and continued to watch the celebrities surrounding them. Chris munched on the bowl of complimentary pretzels much to Alex's horror.

"You don't know who's touched them or what they were doing before they touched them. That's like ingesting the bubonic plague."

Chris merely shrugged and grabbed another one; the brunette cringed and had to look away. His phone vibrated in the pocket of his hoodie; a smile broke his face when he glanced at the name on the electronic envelope.

_Hey Trix, just got done shooting about to take off my costume and then I'll be on my way. You eat already?_

Alex slid his keyboard open and began typing his response.

_Not yet. Sittin' at the bar with Chris. We can grab something when you get here. Room service if you want._

_That sounds fine. I'm tired anyway. I'll see ya soon. Don't get too drunk without me ;)_

He snickered at her answer before typing a reply.

_Well if that ain't the pot calling the kettle black lol. Jk. It's only a couple beers don't worry._

He could see the angry look come across her face and it made him smile while he waited for her next message. It only took a few seconds until his phone buzzed again.

_Fuck you Shelley. Looks like you're sleeping alone tonight_

_I got Chris… I won't be that lonely._

_Haha. It wouldn't take that much alcohol either ;) _

Alex glanced over at his partner and cringed slightly.

_Idk about that. See ya in a bit Kam. _

He put his phone back in his pocket and finished off his beer. Chris got up and went toward the bathroom swaying just a little; Alex chuckled. He spun his seat around to face the crowd glancing over the famous faces.

"I love my job," he muttered to himself.

Suddenly a pair of ice blue eyes stopped him dead. Sage Whitlock sat alone in a booth by the wall. It looked like she'd been watching the wrestler for a while. She held his gaze then flicked her eyes to the open seat across from her. Alex squared his jaw determinedly before going over to join the songstress. He slid rigidly into the seat and kept his back straight. She was resting lazily against the seat, a smirk twisted on her mouth.

"Fancy seeing you here dear," Sage began much too sweetly.

"I know what you did." Alex's candor held a fierce bite. "How could you be such a manipulative bitch?"

Sage snickered darkly; she brought her drink up to her lips sipping at the pink hued liquid.

"Does she know that you're fighting her battles for her?"

"She doesn't need anyone else to do her dirty work for her; she'll let you know what she thinks of you."

"I know what she thinks of me, Keegan Malloy is anything but subtle. She's always flaunting herself about; in front of everyone. And they all fall for act." Sage shook her head and took another sip from her glass. "Well, now the whole world has seen her for what she is."

"And they'll see you for exactly what you are; jealous and cold. You had no right-"

"Oh please," Sage scoffed. "Keegan wore out her own welcome. She forgot just who made her a star. I'm the one who introduced her to Chase and Merrick for God's sake."

"That's why you made her greatest demons public knowledge? That's why you made her face so many awful memories? You really are heartless."

"Secrets don't keep friends. Besides I'm not the one who broke into her house and stole her pictures," she smirked triumphantly.

Alex's fists clenched on the table, "No of course you didn't; you just conspired to have someone else do it for you."

"I really am shocked that you're not thanking me. I mean I did expose her for the whore that she is. No one would blame you if you left her."

"I knew before you did this. Unlike you I try not to judge people and she told me about her childhood. Knowing what happened and seeing what she's become doesn't turn me off. It just makes me respect her more, makes me wanna protect her more."

Sage's surprise was written clear across her face. She opened her mouth to speak but Alex wouldn't allow the interruption this time.

"The only thing you accomplished was making her stronger; she's not gonna crawl in a hole and die, she's facing this head on. You've made her an actual martyr now. The public knows she was a victim, but she won't be your victim. They're on her side with this. And when people find out it was you that exposed her to intentionally hurt her… Think of the backlash."

"And just how is anyone supposed to know that I did this? I'm not stupid, there's no connection between this and myself. But if you insist on finding someone to blame… Well, just be careful what you wish for sweetie. You might find the source to be just a little closer to your home."

Alex smirked, looking very much like the singer had when he first sat down.

"You might not be stupid, but neither am I. I know Lauren helped you. I have no idea why or what you possibly could have told her to make her agree-"

"Are you really that blinded by Keegan," Sage interjected pounding her hand on the table. "I just don't understand what is so captivating about her. She's nothing but trash; cheap low budget lifetime movie trash."

Alex's eyes darkened and he leaned forward on his elbows; his voice was tense, muscles coiled and twitching. "I've been so accommodating to you, but now you're starting to really piss me off. What in the hell makes you so damn great? You've proven you're a petty, classless, spoiled little bitch. Keegan might have some skeletons in her closet, but you're an awful human being. And that's not gonna change."

"You say that like your opinion is supposed to mean something to me. Who the hell are you; some d-list celebrity wrestler? I wouldn't even know who were if you hadn't suckered onto Keegan like some leech at the club. No one gives a damn about you. And you're so intent on standing by her side… Well then I hope you're happy being Mr. Keegan Malloy for the rest of your pathetic little life."

"You say that like it's offensive," he chuckled. "See, that's the difference between someone like you and me. I don't give a fuck about red carpets and magazines. That's all superficial bullshit. That doesn't validate me or my relationship with Keegan, but it's all _you_ have. It's all you ever will have. In twenty years when you're star has long burnt out you're gonna be all alone… And you deserve it."

Sage swallowed thickly, her hand trembled around her glass. Her ice blue eyes held his stare defiantly, but they were empty now; as empty as Alex predicted her future would be.

"All the damage you've caused will blow over, and I'm gonna make damn sure Keegan's okay in the end… But I promise you're not gonna come out unscathed."

"We'll see I guess," her smirk was slightly forced. "Tell Keegs I say hi."

Alex stood up and walked away from the booth. He found Chris back at the bar and promptly ordered a single shot of tequila.


	21. Chapter 21

~Here ya go guys, the next chapter of Alex & Keegan. I hope you like it, I really appreciate everyone staying with this story. It's been a long journey so far lol, & I hope that it's been worth it to the readers. I've loved writing it. Keegan could be my favorite character. Anyway, I love the reviews you guys leave, hearing your opinions & feedback really help. They totally motivate me, so keep them coming & don't be shy. Honesty is the best policy. **MCMG = New Tag Team Champs! WoOt WOot! Hell Yeah Baby!**~

~Chapter 21~

Alex watched everyone running around the backstage area as the award ceremony moved forward and he immediately thought of TV nights at the Impact Zone. It was a controlled chaos that made him feel strangely comfortable. Chris was right beside him waiting for their moment to go on. The pair of actors from that vampire show had just taken the stage to hand out the award for the best first person shooter. They were scheduled to follow them, but the third person supposed to accompany them hadn't come backstage yet. Just as the first game title was revealed a stage hand approached them.

"There's been a change of plans, she had some sort of emergency but we've found a replacement to go on with you, it's another singer so the jokes will still work," he explained looking over his clipboard.

"Oh good. Who is it?" Chris asked.

"The replacement is just getting touched up she'll be right here."

Suddenly the swarm of people seemed to part and like in a bad music video Sage Whitlock sashayed up to the boys. She was dressed in a very short crimson dress and her dark hair was contained by a sequined head band of the same color. She looked flawless and she knew it. Alex immediately stiffened and welcomed her with an arctic stare.

"Well isn't this delicious," Sage smirked. "It must be my lucky day."

Alex gritted his teeth while Chris looked from the songstress to his tag partner. The younger boy was nearly shaking as he glared at her.

"Motor City Machine Guns and Sage Whitlock… Go." They were ushered forward to deafening screams.

"Shall we boys," Sage slipped her arms into theirs and dragged them out onto the stage while the voice over introduced the trio.

Sage grinned and waited for the noise to quiet down before she began to read the prompter.

"So who better to present the award for best combat based game then two strapping wrestlers?"

The crowd screamed their approval and Alex fought to put a smile on his face.

"And who better to help us than such a beautiful and gifted singer," Chris read his line.

"Not only gifted in song but I heard you were also trained in the classic fighting styles of the Ninja Assassins," Alex relayed.

More screams interrupted them and Sage put her hand on her chest in a demure way.

"That is classified information, I don't know how you received it but now I must kill you."

Alex pretended to chuckle, and even grabbed his chin in a thoughtful manner before leaning back into the microphone.

"Um… Not to disrespect the Ninjas but I just highly doubt that _you_ are capable of taking the of two us out."

"I mean just because you can shatter glass with your voice, doesn't mean you can defeat us," Chris added. "We're like the best tag team ever. You don't even have a partner."

Sage held up her index finger indicating a momentary pause. The boys shrugged nonchalantly and allowed her to go down into the crowd. She returned a second later leading a fully costumed Ninja back to the stage. The look was completed with a katana waiting on his back.

"I found a partner guys. Do you think it's a fair fight now?"

The boys looked at one another and then back to the authentic looking warrior; they immediately shrank away stammering about good sportsmanship and not needing to prove themselves at all. Sage smirked for her part and then began to read off the nominees for the best combat based video game. Glimpses of the games were shown up on the screen, when every title had been read the camera cut back to the presentation on the stage. Alex and Chris were circling the Ninja, they attacked at the same time; Chris went for his legs while Alex tried to hit him from behind. He was able to flip out of the assault with ease and Sage quickly took the boys down with a well placed judo chop to the shoulder. They fell in a heap at the singer's feet and the crowd went crazy again. The Ninja pulled the envelope out of his black garb and handed it to Sage so she could reveal the winner. The Guns lay in the background as the plan had stated until the creator of the game finished giving his thanks, then the stage lights went dark and they were able to get up and go backstage. The actor portraying the Ninja shook their hands and went to get out of his costume but Sage was not around.

"Thank God she's gone," Alex thought to himself.

"That was cool right?" Chris asked rubbing the back of his neck. "And damn she like nailed me."

"It wasn't as fun as it was in rehearsal but Sage has a way of sucking the joy and life out of things."

"Jeez man, don't hold back. How do you really feel about her?"

Alex glared at his friend and refused to acknowledge his comment. He wanted to find Keegan and bail. The young actress had already done her part in the ceremony and presented the first award for best story line in a game.

"Great job guys," a pretty girl came forward adjusting her glasses. "You're free to go now."

"Really, we're done with everything?"

She looked over her clipboard then nodded, "yup. You've completed all your segments."

"Sweet," Chris grinned. "Thanks."

Alex didn't wait around for the pleasantries; he headed straight for Keegan's dressing room. Chris shook his head but let him go. He went to hang out in the green room and see who happened to come along. He'd already snapped a few pictures of celebrities on his phone and sent them to Jamie.

Emmett was leaning against the wall near Keegan's door. His large presence still intimidated Alex a little, but he waved and stepped aside so the wrestler could enter.

"Kam," he called.

She came out of the small bathroom a second later trying to fasten her necklace. She'd changed out her amethyst dress from the ceremony; instead she was wearing a stunning strapless emerald dress. Alex wasn't sure where to look first. The bust line shimmered with tiny gems catching the light and casting it back into her eyes. The creamy mounds of her breasts were playing peek-a-boo with the V incision in the material. Despite her small stature her legs seemed to go on for days, they eventually disappeared under the very short tight skirt.

"Hi," she smiled. "Are you finished with everything?"

He saw her mouth form the words but none of them reached his ears. He tried to speak but his chin was still hanging on the floor. Keegan smirked at him and put her necklace down on the table. She sauntered over to him, slowly sliding her arms up around his neck. He fell head first into those eyes and forgot how to breathe.

"So I take it I look okay," she teased him.

"You're beautiful Keegan."

A small blush tinged her cheeks and Alex guided her chin up to his kiss. It was soft and delicate, just a brushing of lips. When she pulled away he kept hold of her hand and twirled her around enjoying the view. He whistled lowly and settled her against him once more.

"Damn girl… Just where do you think you're going looking like this?" He smirked laying tiny open mouthed kisses along her neck.

"We're going to Jackson's after party. He rented out Addiction tonight."

Alex groaned and buried his face into her shoulder. "Do we have to?"

She chuckled rubbing the length of his back in a comforting manner. "Yes. He is my co-star; I need to make an appearance. Besides it'll be fun. You like Jackson remember?"

"But I just got beat up by a Ninja; I think I need to go right to bed."

"Really? Poor baby… Well then you probably shouldn't be alone."

"Mmm-mm," he shook his head.

"Well then that settles it… I'll call Chris and get him to take you to bed; I'll come by after the party." Keegan smirked when he pulled away from her completely.

"You're an evil person."

She laughed out right that time and picked up her necklace again. "Will you put this on me?"

He sighed dramatically as he took the chain. He held the clasp up to the light then draped the chain around her neck. The diamond star fell against her skin and he adjusted the pendant from behind when the necklace was secure. He placed his chin on her shoulder; slipping his arms around her waist he tried to convince her to skip the party.

"Dude, we could totally veg in front of the TV instead. I'll even let you watch one of those ancient movies you love."

"That's terribly sweet of you hun, but we're going to Jax's party." She detangled herself and moved to the mirror in the bathroom.

Alex rolled his eyes; he collapsed onto the couch with a scowl. "None of this is how I thought it would be. Next year someone else can go through this bullshit."

"What are you grumbling about?" Keegan called.

"This is just ridiculous. All the crap we had to go through was not worth the experience. And then to top it off Sage Whitlock hits me in the back of the head."

"Sage? I thought it was supposed to be that other girl?"

"It was," he sighed. "But something happened and Sage came out with us… Please let me tell you what a joy that was."

Keegan remerged after refreshing her eye make-up; her arms were crossed over her chest.

"I didn't know she was supposed to be here. I thought the twins had a show in Europe."

Alex cracked one eye open and shrugged. "Well I just got off stage with her."

"Great." Keegan ran her hand back through her wavy hair. "I just wanna be normal for one night."

"To be fair… You were never normal. Sage hasn't changed that." Alex smirked.

Keegan tossed the pillow out of the chair at him. It hit him in the face and bounced back to the floor. He laid there stunned for a moment, but quickly lunged at the actress. Keegan giggled helplessly and turned to run. Alex grabbed her around the waist and wrestled her to the couch. Both of them were heaving with laughter. Keegan's chest touched his every time air passed between them. Her eyes were so light and the grin on her face was huge, Alex couldn't fight the contagious smile. Keegan begged a kiss hoping to soothe the wicked sparkle in the mocha eyes above her; Alex indulged her but his nimble fingers bit into the satin dress to tickle her ribs mercilessly. Keegan screeched into his mouth and bit down on his bottom lip. Alex growled and the playful atmosphere melted away in the rising heat.

His hands flattened out to feel all the curves the dress didn't hide. She ran her hands up the muscles in his arms and pulled him flush against her body. Alex hitched her leg up so he could settle firmly in place and then pulled her body down the couch toward him; he wanted to feel all of her. Keegan tangled her fingers in his dark hair pushing back hard into the kiss; she mewled into the affection. Alex's fingers began to inch their way under her skirt skimming along the soft skin of her thigh. He felt goose bumps break out over her flesh. Smirking, her moved his kisses up her neck and gently sucked her earlobe into his mouth. She shuddered in his arms and a loud gasp filled the room. He continued to trace the shell of her ear with the tip of his tongue then blew a soft stream of cool air against the damp skin, before taking the little piece back between his teeth. Keegan moaned and tugged on the curls at the nape of his neck. He pulled away just enough to look at her face. She was biting her bottom lip and staring at him with half-lidded eyes. Alex swallowed thickly at the desire he saw in them.

"Trix," she whispered, "I-"

A knock on the door cut her off. Alex acted like he hadn't heard it; he didn't move at all, just kept looking into her eyes. Keegan blinked when another knock appeared. She shook her head as she began to sit up. Alex sighed heavily and got to his feet, he held out a hand to help her. A third knock hit the door and Keegan finally scowled.

"Just a damn minute," she shouted. "God!"

Alex snickered and grabbed her wrist. She glanced back and he quickly smoothed the creases out of her skirt. He pecked her lips and nodded to the door. She flung it open expectantly.

"What do you want?" She hissed.

Alex stepped up behind her and nearly snarled at Sage Whitlock. The singer painted a large smile on her face and turned devilish eyes on Keegan.

"Hey Keegs," she began much too sweetly. "I was wondering if you were going to Jackson's party."

Keegan's eyes narrowed darkly. "I am, but I didn't know you were on the guest list."

"Oh, well I have other plans already, so I won't be attending his little get together. I just wanted to make sure you were taken care of for the evening. I'd hate for you to just sit in your hotel room all night; how dull."

"Sage, whatever you're planning… Just stop. I don't care about what we ever did to each other. I don't want Chase, I never did. Anything you think you're entitled to you can just have. I'm done playing this game. It's old and I'm over it."

Sage merely smiled again. "I'm not playing any kind of game Keegs. I really feel like I've already won anyway."

Keegan tilted her head but Sage interrupted her before she got her question out. "But I see you've got someone to look after you now. I'm sure he's always coming to your defense. He seems like the type that would want to save you from everything. Guess I'll see ya around Keegs."

Keegan watched her walk back up the hall and turn the corner toward the stage. She turned back to Alex with a puzzled expression.

"What was that about?"

"I don't know," he shrugged. "Who can figure Sage out?"

"Humph… Yeah; who?"

Keegan closed the door on the female Gemini and headed back over to the couch. She sat down and pulled her shoes out from under the table.

"Do you want to go change or are you just going to wear that?" She asked while fastening one of the crystal buckles.

Alex looked down at his fitted jeans and gray 'Made in Detroit' t-shirt. "This is fine with me."

She smiled at him and took something out of her small clutch. She dangled his necklace in front of him. Alex stepped forward so she could slip the ball chain over his head. The dog tag fell in place and landed just above the airplane on his shirt.

"Perfect," she declared. "Let's go."

Alex smiled when she slipped her fingers into his and he let her lead him out toward the exit.

~xxx~

The red carpet at the party was nearly as long as the red carpet at the _Comic Con_. Keegan held tight to Alex's hand while walking down this one though. He kept trying to hurry them along it but she'd pull him back and pose for the paparazzi being held behind the ropes. When they finally made it inside the club it didn't even look like Addiction anymore. There were drapes hanging from the ceiling and low lights in blues and purples made everything look cool and sleek.

"Wow, this is actually pretty awesome," Alex commented.

"I told you," Keegan smiled. "There's Jackson, c'mon."

They went over to a long table under a canopy of small clear lights. Jackson stood up to greet them and placed a kiss on Keegan's cheek. He grinned at Alex and motioned to two empty chairs beside his. Some other actors from the movie were sitting at the table and Keegan waved down at the director. Alex nodded when she introduced him and the chatter they had walked up on continued over the music.

"Dude, I'm so glad you guys came. I put out so many invitations but you know how it is Keegan, you really only want a third of the people to come."

She laughed. "Yeah, but in order for it to be an event you gotta invite all the important people."

"I thought about making it just for the cast but then my publicist wanted to make it a grandiose thing."

"Well Alex wanted to skip it all together." She smirked at the wrestler.

He glared back but had to smile sheepishly. "Yeah I just wanted to bail man. No offense. I'm happy she wouldn't let me. This is awesome."

Jackson chuckled. "I hear ya. By the time I got done with all the crap at the show and stuff I wanted to bail myself."

More people made their way over to Jackson's table and gave their salutations. He greeted them all like a good host and eventually left the table to tend to his guests. Alex and Keegan chatted with the others at the table and danced to a few songs. The evening wasn't as bad as he had feared. Thankfully everything remained rather calm; no surprises or drama. Alex was able to relax and enjoy Keegan's world for a little while. Her easy smile as she interacted with people made it even more worthwhile. As he listened to her laugh at the set's make-up artist he noticed that she was still sipping at her second glass of champagne. He squeezed her knee gently to get her attention.

"Trix?"

He leaned in to be heard over the music and placed a chaste kiss to her mouth. She looked unprepared but smiled at him. He returned it and stole one more kiss before asking her to dance again. Pink splashed up into her cheeks; she gave him her hand and he led her out onto the floor. Keegan slipped her arms around Alex's neck and he enveloped her waist resting his palm on the small of her back. They swayed softly to the slow tempo of the song while the colorful lights flashed and swirled above them. Keegan put her head on his shoulder and let her eyes flutter close. Alex felt her sigh and dropped a kiss to her forehead.

~xxx~

Alex texted Chris when they made it back to the hotel, although he was sure the blonde would be asleep. He was waiting for Keegan; the clerk had called her over to the front desk when they came in. She was slipping something into her clutch while she approached the elevator. She met him with a yawn.

"Are you tired?" Alex asked incredulously while he pushed the button for the lift.

She carded her right hand through her hair; her shoes were dangling from her left. "I'm not tired. I just want my p.j.s"

They got on the lift and he pushed the 8. The door slid shut.

"So was it so bad?" She inquired with a smile.

"No, it was pretty cool. Jackson's a nice guy."

Keegan nodded and then headed down to her room. She pulled the key card from her bag and let them inside her suite. It was bigger than Alex and Chris' with a sitting room and a separate bedroom.

"Damn, this could be nicer than our apartment," he said looking around.

Keegan chuckled and went into the bedroom; she left the door open. After dropping her heels by the foot of the bed she took a seat on the end of the mattress and took the note out of her bag.

"What's that?" Alex asked leaning against the door frame.

"Someone left a message for me at the desk."

Keegan unfolded the plain white envelope with her name on it and tore the end to slide the piece of paper out. It was from the hotel stationary; their logo was printed at the top.

_Keegan –_

_We stopped by to see you tonight but you were out. We saw you at the award show, you were wonderful. Your brothers would have loved to see it. We hope that you'll join us for breakfast tomorrow morning. Our flight home is booked for the early afternoon so it would be the last time we could see each other. We'll be in the dining room downstairs until 10:00. I hope you come._

_ ~Mom_

Alex watched as all the color drained from her face. Her hands began to tremble and she let the paper flutter to the bed. She grasped at her throat as her breathing grew shallow. She stood up but her legs were unsteady, she wobbled like a newborn foal.

"Kam?" Alex hurried to her side.

He reached her just in time to see her beautiful jade eyes roll back into her head; she fell limply into him.

"Keegan!" Alex cradled her body in his arms and went to the floor with her. "Jesus, Keegan."

She didn't respond to his voice. He vigorously shook her shoulder becoming more and more desperate when he couldn't rouse her.

"Keegan... Baby, please," he begged tapping his fingers against her cheek. She still remained unresponsive and the knot in his stomach began to throb and tighten itself. He fumbled in his pockets for his cell phone; a fine mist in his eyes blurred the buttons when he slid it open. He blinked hoping to clear the water. Suddenly Keegan's eye lids began to flutter. She squeezed them tight for a moment then they popped open.

A choked gasp left Alex and he instantly pulled her into his chest, burying his face into her hair. Reassuring himself that she was with him again calmed his erratic pulse. He pulled away and cupped her cheeks in his palms to study her.

"Are you alright? Is your vision blurry at all?"

"It's fine. I'm okay," she took a deep shaky breath.

"Can you tell me your name?" He asked examining her eyes checking the size of her pupils.

"Stop it," she pulled away from him. "I'm alright. I just… The note."

"Keegan, damnit slow down," he admonished when she tried to stand too quickly; she fell back to the floor and had to shut her eyes against a wave of dizziness.

Alex ran a gentle hand down her cheek; it was still a chalky white. He stood up and helped her off the floor holding onto her for a second to make sure she could support herself. She moved slowly to the bed and picked up the note. She avoided looking at it and handed it to him. Alex glanced at the paper then back at her. He seemed reluctant to take his eyes off her but he did look back down to read the message.

"How the hell did they do this?" He wondered.

Keegan whimpered and fell onto the bed. "I don't know. He was at the show… He saw me… He's in this hotel somewhere." A louder cry erupted from her. "Oh god."

Alex crumpled the note into a ball and dropped in on the floor. He sat behind her and pulled her into his body. Keegan turned and plunged into his arms, hiding her face in his chest.

"Shh. It's alright. He's not going to hurt you this time, I swear. I won't let him near you again. You don't have to see him."

"I can't… Oh god I can't…"

"Shh… Listen to me Baby, why don't you take a bath and relax for a while. I'm not going anywhere oaky? I'm not going to let him anywhere near you."

"No… No, I just wanna go home."

Alex closed his eyes and thought for a moment. "We can leave first thing in the morning. I'll pack your stuff while you're in the bath and then we'll be ready okay?"

He tucked his finger under her chin and tried to look hopeful, but it got lost somewhere.

"C'mon," he encouraged her to get up and led her to the en suite bathroom. He began to fill the deep tub, turning on the jets to make bubbles. "It'll help your relax so you can sleep and we'll leave as soon as it gets light."

She didn't nod or even acknowledge him. It was like she unconscious again only with her eyes open. He pressed a kiss to her closed mouth and left her alone. He went out into the bedroom quarters and began to throw all of her stuff into her huge suitcase. He even pulled the hangers down with it all the while craving a cigarette more than his next breath. He hefted another armful of clothes into the case and that's when he realized he could still hear the water in the bathroom.

"The tub should be filled enough by now." He left the suitcase on the bed and knocked on the bathroom door. "Kam?"

She didn't answer him this time either. He knocked again and pressed his ear to the door. All he heard was the faucet still running. He opened it himself and gasped at the scene. Keegan was sitting in the middle of the tub still wearing the beautiful emerald dress. She had her knees drawn up to her chest, the ends of her hair were being licked by the water and the damp tendrils were sticking to her back. Her chin was resting on her arms and she was staring intently at the wall like it was playing an old home movie she hadn't seen in years.

"Keegan." Alex ran to the tub.

He turned the water off and looked back at her; inky black rivers were running down her porcelain face. Her green eyes were so empty; it was eerie to see their sparkle gone. He had to get her to see him and not her haunted memories. He wasted no time and jumped in the tub with her. The warm water soaked his jeans and t-shirt and the denim immediately felt weighted down. Ignoring it he maneuvered himself so he could get as close as possible to Keegan; she was shivering. He put a leg on either side of her and took her face gently in his hands.

"Kam," he thumbed away the black trails. "Baby… hey. I'm here." He rested his forehead against hers.

She finally blinked and seemed to see him, more mascara laced tears fell and she sniffled.

"Trix… I wanna go home. Please."

Alex nodded and closed his eyes to keep hold of his own unruly emotions. "We'll leave now… I'm sorry."

Keegan bit her bottom lip and pressed closer to him. She let him continue to stroke her arms for a few minutes, he kept whispering to her hoping to soothe her shuddering. Slowly the tremors died down, but he didn't rush her. They sat fully dressed in the bath tub until Keegan was ready to move.

~xxx~

Alex banged on the door to his hotel room willing Chris to hurry. The blonde cracked it open slowly and stood there only in his boxers. He blinked blearily and shook his head. Alex pushed passed him and straight to his bag on the side of the unused bed.

"Why are you soaked?"

"I'm taking Keegan back to the apartment," Alex informed while he peeled his shirt off.

Chris furrowed his brows. "Okay. What's going on?"

"Her step-father is in this hotel somewhere. There was a note left for her at the front desk. They were at the award show tonight," he explained while shoving the rough denim jeans off.

"What? Where is she? Is she okay?"

"No. She's up in her room with Emmett. I came to get my stuff and then we're leaving… She can't stay here."

"Dude... Are you oaky?" Chris waited until Alex had yanked on a fresh pair of track pants to put a hand on his shoulder. "You're like shaking."

"I wanna know how the fuck they knew she was here and how they got here." He whipped around on his tag partner; his eyes were darker than Chris had ever seen. "I wanna know who the fuck is messing with her like this… I wanna go find her step-father and kill him…"

Alex twisted his dry shirt in his hands and then dropped his head in a sigh.

"I wanna make it so she doesn't have to deal with this bullshit anymore. God, just when things are going good… I mean is this ever gonna end?"

Chris raked a hand through his hair. "Things will calm down eventually… Once the cops figure out who is behind all this then you and Keegan can go on vacation or something."

Alex snickered. "Yeah right, where are we gonna go that no one knows her?"

Chris shrugged. "Well at least somewhere that reporters aren't always around and somewhere that people don't care about what you do."

"We'll see about that." He pulled his shirt over his head and then stuffed his wet clothes into his bag. "I'll see ya when you get back."

"Yeah, I'm outta here in the morning… well later today I guess. You guys be careful alright. Text me, let me know what's up later."

"I will. See ya," Alex stuck his hand out and then the boys turned it into an easy hug.

As he left the room Chris fell back on his bed. Alex pulled the door closed behind him and jogged down the hall to the elevator. He held number 8 down until the doors slid shut. When he stepped out on Keegan's floor he hurried down to her room, half way there he saw Emmett haul her bags out. Keegan followed him a moment later dressed in a pair of black yoga pants and a MCMG sweatshirt; she had the hood drawn up with some of her ruby waves spilling out of it and down her shoulder. Alex felt a little of the tension ease out of him when he finally got to see her for himself again. Readjusting his backpack, he met her by her room and took hold of her hand.

Emmett led them out an employees' exit near the laundry room where a car was waiting for them. The security guard put Keegan's bags in the trunk and then turned to Alex who was waiting to shove his bag in next to hers.

"So you'll check her out in the morning?" Alex reaffirmed.

"Yup, around 9 so it looks legit," he nodded. "I'm gonna call Britt in a little while too." Emmett glanced at the actress through the rear window. "Make sure she's okay… Keep her safe."

Emmett offered his hand to the wrestler.

Alex looked at the massive appendage then with a nod accepted it. "I will."


	22. Chapter 22

~Hey guys. I think Keegan and Alex's saga is almost over... I'm planning on 1 or 2 more chapters at the most. Thanks to everyone for reading and leaving comments. I'm soooo glad you've enjoyed this story. I've loved creating Keegan. She's fun to write. I hope you like this chapter. I know it's been a long time coming. Sorry. But I hope this was worth it. Please let me know what you guys think about it. I'm really interested to get your thoughts for the last couple of chapters. Enjoy & thanks ^-^~

~Chapter 22~

Alex shouldered the front door open. The small apartment had never seemed so inviting even cased in blackness. He dropped the bags he'd hefted from the car in the doorway of the kitchen and flipped the lights on. Keegan crept inside holding one of her bags and Alex's backpack. She eyed the pile and chose to put hers down on the couch in the living room. Alex followed her and slipped his arms around her; she jumped a bit then leaned back into the familiar embrace. He placed a soft kiss at the bottom of her ear.

"Tell me what to do?" He whispered.

"I don't even know." She shook her head.

He squeezed her tighter and laid tiny kisses on her neck. She let her head fall back onto his shoulder and closed her eyes. Slowly, he eased them apart and led her into the kitchen. He took a mug down from the cupboard and filled the small kettle with water. He found the box of tea bags and took one out. Glancing behind him he watched Keegan smile at him from a chair. It was a tired smile but she'd managed a real one for him; however short lived.

"How did they know? How did they get there?" She asked wrapping her arms around her middle.

Alex leaned against the counter. "Well there was enough press about you being there. But I don't know how they would've gotten there or knew what hotel you were at."

"Britt checked me in with a different name. There wasn't even a record."

"The hotel had so many celebrities… But I'd expect reporters to find out before them. It doesn't make sense."

"Unless someone told them," Keegan looked up at him, "Unless someone brought them there deliberately."

Alex felt a chill go through him. "She practically told us didn't she?"

"I think we just figured out what Sage wanted."

The kettle whistled and both of them started at the noise. Alex turned around and poured the water over Keegan's tea bag. Carefully grabbing the mug and the bottle of honey he moved to the table with her. He took the adjacent chair and placed the mug in front of her.

"But she knew you weren't going to be in your room."

"I didn't need to be. Look at what happened with just a note. I can't imagine having to face…" Keegan shuddered and wrapped her hands around the hot mug. "She did win. I left."

Keegan looked down into the dark liquid and allowed herself to get lost in the cup. Alex placed his hand on her knee, the gentle pressure caused her to look back at him, but there was no trace of a smile. No spark in her jade eyes. They were nearly as lifeless as they had been in the bath tub. Alex couldn't keep her gaze; his shame got in the way and forced his eyes down. He'd underestimated Sage, and he had let Keegan fall victim again.

Suddenly a thought nipped at his brain. He had underestimated the singer, but he had a spark of hope from somewhere deep in his gut that maybe Sage had put too much faith in a certain Knockout.

"Lauren… She's gotta know what's going on. If I can convince her to out Sage and go to the authorities with us… I'm sure you could get some type of restraining order on David."

Keegan's eyes were wide, almost like his words were too big for her to take in. "W-will I have to see him for that."

"No. Not with all the evidence and the fact that he's trying to contact you against your will."

She bit her bottom lip and looked back down into her cup. There weren't any tea leaves in the bottom but she still looked inside like it had all the answers. "I don't know…"

Alex clasped her hand; he threaded their fingers together and used his other hand to make her look at him. He tucked a strand of soft scarlet hair behind her ear before he started to speak.

"One step at a time Kam. We'll deal with Lauren first and then worry about David."

Keegan closed her eyes. She tried to look down, tried to look away from the past that was suddenly staring her right in the face. A gentle but unyielding grip on her chin wouldn't let her. Her eyes opened up and all she could see was a rich dark mocha shade of brown. The color was strong and she could easily see what was reflecting in it; Alex's stubborn determination, his fierce loyalty, his steadfast love for her.

"_We_ will?" She whispered.

"This is still for keeps; I'm not going anywhere Keegan."

She gave the tiniest sigh and took his lips in a kiss. She was the one who deepened it desperately pulling Alex closer by the nape of his neck. She tangled her fingers in his dark hair; he groaned not needing the encouragement to give back but loving her touch.

~xxx~

Alex called Jeff Jarrett the next morning while Keegan was in the shower. Chris had hoisted himself up on the counter top waiting for the coffee maker; he watched his partner drum his fingers on the table.

"Jeff, hey it's Alex, listen I need you to do something for me tonight."

"You know we have T.V. tonight. What's up Shelley?" Jeff's thick southern drawl asked.

"I'm bringing Keegan with me tonight. She's been going through some stuff recently as I'm sure you're already aware, but if you could just tighten security up and make sure Foley knows this has nothing to do with business it'd mean a lot to me."

"Well Mick won't be here tonight, what's with the extra security?"

"It's a personal matter I plan on addressing tonight when we get there."

"Now hold on a minute Shelley, I can't have you messing with the segments again. Whatever you need to address should be done outside of work-"

"Jeff I'm asking you as a favor man," he interrupted. "I just need to know that she's going to be safe."

The TNA founder hesitated for a moment. "Alright Alex I'll put some extra guys on. We'll make sure Keegan's protected."

"Thank you." Alex ended the call and glanced over at Chris. "Do you think she'll do it?"

"I don't know bro. I'm not sure we even know Lauren anymore… Jamie can't get her to talk at all these days."

"Well I don't need her to talk tonight; I just need her to listen."

"I still think this is a bad idea," Keegan voiced entering the kitchen. Her hair was twisted back in a clip and she had on a pair of simple jeans and Alex's hoodie over a plain white tee. "She's never liked me; she's always made that clear."

"I don't understand it though," Alex shook his head. "I thought at the very least Lauren and I were friends."

"I think that's half the problem 'Lex. She's always wanted more," Chris threw out.

He sighed and raked his hand over his face. He scraped the chair across the tiled floor. Keegan grabbed a hold of his wrist but he shook her off and continued silently to his bedroom. Chris shrugged when Keegan glanced his way. She left the blonde and hurried after his younger tag partner.

Alex yanked his t-shirt over his head and pitched it toward the hamper in the corner; it landed on the floor instead. He cursed and jerked the middle dresser drawer open. He stared at the clothes in it for a few moments before dropping his head down. He took a deep breath when he felt a pair of small hands slide up his spine and rest on his shoulders. Keegan placed a kiss on the nape of his neck then pressed her cheek between his shoulder blades.

"You didn't do this," she whispered.

"Maybe not directly but this wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for me."

Keegan physically moved his arm and fit herself in front of him then locked her hands behind the back of his neck. She tugged gently on the short tufts of his dark hair making him finally look her in the eyes.

"You're probably right." She began but Alex bit his lip and lowered his gaze again. "Look at me Trix."

Slowly he did as she asked. Her eyes were deep; they reminded him of the rabbit hole and he was tumbling down into her soul.

"That night at Addiction changed everything… You changed everything. What happened to me would have come out eventually, it's inevitable. And going through this without you…" Keegan shook her head. "I wouldn't have survived it; I would've taken the whole bottle of Ativan by now without you."

Alex felt his heart clamp inside his chest at the mere thought. He eased his statue like arms around her and rested his hands on her hips.

"I honestly don't think you realize how much I need you. It's not just that you keep my mind off the pills and everything… You make it okay. You want me despite my flaws; you know everything and you're still here. You believe me and you believe _in_ me… When I'm with you my head's finally quiet ya know? All I need is your heart beat."

Keegan held onto his stare while she moved her palm down to his chest. Alex drew his bottom lip between his teeth again. Keegan smiled softly and brushed the tip of her nose against his. He put his hand over hers pressing it more firmly over his pulse.

"I know it all sounds cliché, but you really do make me a better person Alex. I've never really cared about anyone before… not even myself. But then you did. And I tried so hard to stop you, but you're too damn stubborn."

He smirked a little and laid his forehead against hers.

"You didn't give up on me… You didn't give up on us. You fought for us, hell, you fought me for us; so don't you dare start letting them beat you. You're stronger than that… _We're_ stronger than that."

Alex nodded and cradled her to him; she pressed herself deep into the embrace. He dropped a kiss to her head. Keegan separated their bodies just enough to peek up at him. She put her hand to his cheek guiding his face to hers.

"I love you Alex."

His jaw fell just a little; he never expected her to admit it without a prompt. Liquid fire exploded in his veins while his head felt like he'd taken a handful of tequila shots. Keegan's stunning jade eyes barely sobered him enough to sweep his lips across hers.

"I love you Kam," his whisper traced her lips again.

~xxx~

Alex smiled when they arrived at the Impact Zone; the reporters usually clustering around the entrances of the studio were absent.

"Looks like Double J came through," Chris remarked.

"He did," his partner nodded. "He's been great through this whole thing really."

"Yeah, he didn't fire us after our commercial."

Alex snickered and held the door so Keegan could follow Chris into the building. Almost as soon as they were inside Alex knew something was different. The techs were all huddled together whispering but none of them were looking over the scripts and hand outs for the live show.

"Dude," he glanced at Chris. "Something's up."

"Right…," the blonde looked around at the staff again. "Hey, Nikki, what's going on?"

One of the make-up artists grinned at them. "There's a celebrity guest tonight. They're backstage here somewhere."

Alex looked at Keegan. "Who is it?"

Nikki blushed when she looked at the young actress holding Alex's hand. "It's a musical act that's all I know so far; I guess the office wants to use one of their songs for the next Pay-per-view. I was late because I was working a photo shoot for AJ so I don't know the details."

Alex felt his eye start to twitch and he readjusted his back pack. "C'mon. Thanks Nikki."

"See ya boys. Have a good match."

"Who do you think it is?" Chris asked when they made it to the Guns' locker room.

"Where's Gemini supposed to be tonight?"

Keegan scowled. "Well Sage has never kept to a schedule before so it wouldn't really matter."

"It's gotta be the twins. Text Jamie, find out if Lauren's here yet."

Chris fished his cell phone out of his pocket and typed a message to his girl. A few seconds later his phone chimed and he read them the response.

_Yeah she's here. She brought Gemini with her. They've got passes and I think someone else is coming too_.

Alex furrowed his brows. "Who else could be possibly coming?"

"Merrick and Chase might," Keegan suggested. "But I thought Chase was in New York for the week."

"Well Jamie's in catering with the other girls. You wanna head down there and see what's up?" Chris asked.

"Yeah, let's go," Alex agreed putting his bag in his locker.

The catering area was half full and Chris immediately spotted Jamie. They joined her and a few other knockouts at their table.

"Hey hun," Jamie smiled accepting the blonde's peck to her cheek. "Hi guys."

"Sup Jame," Alex greeted.

"How are you guys doing?" the pretty knockout asked but looked directly at Keegan.

"Alright, it's been a stressful few days but I'm surviving." She smiled softly at her Detroit made boy.

"Well unfortunately I think it's gonna be worse before it gets better. Gemini got here with Lauren and Sage wanted Lauren to get two more passes. She keeps checking her phone."

"Two passes. Would Chase Davenport need a pass?" Alex wondered.

"No. It isn't them," Keegan decided.

"Maybe we're getting carried away," Chris proclaimed. "I mean maybe it's like their managers or something; Nikki said TNA wanted them to do the song for the Pay-per-view."

"No," Alex shook his head instantly. "Sage is up to something."

Suddenly Jamie's phone buzzed on the table. She looked down at the screen. "Lauren texted me. Hang on."

_Hey, Jarrett wants us to do a quick vignette for our match. Grab Madison and meet me on the throne set._

Jamie spoke while she typed her reply. "I'll text ya in a little bit hun, maybe I'll figure more out. Ready Madison?"

The newest member of the Beautiful People followed her out of catering. Just as they left, Jerry Lynn approached the rest of the table.

"Hey guys, you see the script yet?"

The Machine Guns glanced at each other. "Not yet," Alex informed.

"Well you're facing that new tag team tonight. We've had our eye on them since you guys mentioned them. They're still blowing up the Independents so we're gonna give 'em a try. We're putting it over as a try-out match against you guys and they're going over clean. They're waiting in the ring; you wanna go work with them a little?"

"Sure," Chris stood up ready to follow the pioneer of the X-division. "'Lex?"

"You'll be okay," he asked Keegan.

"She'll be fine. I'll take good care of her," Christy assured. "Go on."

"I'll be fine. Christy needs to tell me about her weekend with Jimmy anyway," Keegan winked at the fiery knockout.

"Ugh!" Alex groaned at the girls' giggles. "On that note."

He paused in the doorway to look back at the table. Keegan and Christy were chattering like school girls; ignoring the kernel of apprehension popping in his stomach he followed his tag partner to the 6 sided ring.

Two younger guys waited in the ring; one leaning against the ropes and the other perched on top of the turnbuckle. They jumped down and stood in the center of the ring when they saw Jerry Lynn and the Guns approach.

"I believe you guys know each other," the older X-Division star began."They're calling themselves Generation Me here."

Alex chuckled. "Not Generation Next?"

The blonde brother smirked. "We thought about it but it was already taken."

"Do the Hardy Boys know you're stealing their gimmick?" Chris ribbed.

"Well they said it was cool as long as we didn't come out to music that started out _Hail Gen Me,_" the brunette retorted.

Alex erupted into laughter, a melodious cackle made tears come to the corner of his eyes. "Check and mate Sabin."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Chris huffed. "You guys are going over so let's start working on some spots."

"We're trying to showcase their aerial stuff so as many high spots as you can fit believably. Don't force anything though. We want it to look legit," Lynn advised. "I'll let ya guys work it out."

The Guns and their opponents began talking out spots and pacing. After drafting a match they began to run through some of the moves. The younger team had never been in a hexagon ring before so their approaches had to be modified and their spots were hesitated. But it was the way they committed to the chain wrestling going counter for counter and the way they sold to the empty arena that told Alex they'd leave it all in the ring when it counted.

Chris grabbed his discarded t-shirt off the apron when he and Alex headed up to the tunnel a couple of hours later.

"Dude," he pushed his hand through damp hair causing it to stick up at the ends. "They're gonna be awesome. I can't wait to work with them in like a year; our matches would be epic bro."

"Definitely," Alex agreed. "They're only gonna get better. They might be better flyers than us."

"Yeah, you see him pop off that cork screw man. It was sick."

"We still got the experience and the continuity but damn…" He shook his head.

"Shelley," James Storm hollered up the hall way.

Alex sighed. "What is it Storm?"

He expected to be hit in the face with another magazine, but the Tennessee Cowboy was empty handed this time.

"Keegan's waiting for you in the knockouts locker room. Christy had to go get ready for the meet and greet. She told me to tell you."

"Thanks," Alex nodded. "I can't believe it's that late already. We just made it with that pre match."

"I know. It didn't feel that long," Chris replied.

The message tone on his phone cut Alex off and he glanced down as Jamie's name came up. He squinted at the text and read it to his friend.

_Knockouts locker room ASAP. _

"What's that about?"

"Keegan's down there," Alex stopped with his locker half open.

"Bet she and Lauren met up without you," Chris concluded.

"Fuck. C'mon." Alex slammed his locker shut and hurried down the hallway.

It was the shouting that Alex heard first. Angry voices were crashing out of the locker room.

"You selfish bitch!" Keegan yelled. "It had nothing to do with you."

Lauren scoffed. "It had everything to do with me. You just think you should get everything you want. It doesn't work that way honey, you stepped into my world."

"Your world… No," Keegan shook her head. "He didn't want you bitch. You threw yourself at him and he never even looked at you."

"I never threw myself at anyone," she growled. "Unlike some I don't need to; I don't need my sob stories posted in magazines."

"Save your pity for yourself. You're nothing but a pawn. Sage is gonna let you take the fall for this and you're fucking dumb enough to go along with it."

"I'm no one's pawn bitch! If I get to take you down and still get what I want in the end, why shouldn't I take the opportunity?" Lauren flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder and narrowed her eyes. "You've given the world enough options to pick from; I mean your whole fucking life is a soap opera. What could you possibly offer him like that?"

"Apparently a lot more than you ever will," Keegan smirked.

"Right, I bet being Daddy's whore really prepared you for that too," Lauren crossed her arms over her chest.

It took Alex a moment too long to realize the shift in Keegan's body. He missed the way her eyes narrowed and only saw her charge the larger athlete. She tackled Lauren around the middle and drove her back into the lockers. The knockout seemed ready though. Ignoring the collision and the ache in her back she yanked at Keegan's scarlet tresses and landed a forearm shot to her jaw.

The young actress fumbled her footing allowing Lauren to turn them and slam her back into the metal lockers. Keegan whined but was able to nail Lauren with a few stiff shots to the side of her head. When she stumbled back Keegan followed her swinging but a strong pair of arms snagged her waist. She screamed and hit the hands holding onto her.

"That's enough!" Alex rumbled by ear; he clutched her tighter and turned to trap her against the lockers again.

"Chill Lore," Chris and Jamie were corralling her on the other side of the bench.

"That's right…" the knockout's champ huffed. "Don't let her face anything by herself. Keep coddling her. She's still nothing but damaged goods."

"I swear to God bitch," Keegan lunged forward, "Let me go!"

Alex jerked her back toward the lockers. "Stop it!" he ordered.

Lauren smirked and opened her mouth to heckle some more but Alex interrupted her.

"Not another word Lauren. Jesus you're supposed to be adults. Don't you know you're both playing right into Sage's hand?"

The room was finally quiet; filled only with the heavy breathing of the restrained females.

"This was never supposed to go down like this. I wanted to come talk to Lauren," Alex glared at Keegan.

"You brought her here Baby Bear…I just wanted you to know what type of a person she was." Lauren shrugged out of Chris and Jamie's grip.

"I know who she is," Alex scowled at the blonde. "It's you that I have no fucking clue about anymore Lore. What are you doing being Sage Whitlock's lackey?"

"Oh, please. You've been so enamored with her you haven't even stopped to think about anything else and all your feelings are just pity anyway."

Alex felt Keegan tense and fixed her with a hard look; she slowly eased back but kept her irritable glare.

"And how would you know?" He finally asked Lauren. "You've been so preoccupied with hurting her that you've never tried to get to know her. But it never affected only Keegan; you hurt me too."

The knockout tentatively bit her bottom lip and looked down.

"You were so caught up in… I don't even know what… Bullshit. Lauren I do love you, we've had each other's back from day one. And you're right, you are the better choice for me logically, but I can't force my heart to change. We'd both be miserable."

"I wouldn't be," she whispered.

Alex sighed heavily. He glanced back at Keegan and squeezed her fingers before going to Lauren. He put his hand on her arm; she looked at him with those big hazel eyes.

"You know me Lauren, I've always gotta be sure about something before I do it."

She smiled softly at him, and Alex couldn't help but to return the small gesture before he continued.

"So look at what I'm risking, look at what I'm subjecting myself to in order to be with her. The whole situation is so uncertain, but I know that love her. I'm going with what feels right this time. But you and me… this feels awful."

Lauren's shoulders slumped as she cast her face down. "And that's my fault."

Alex tucked his finger under her chin and puller her eyes up. A lone tear trickled over her pretty cheek.

"You really love her Baby Bear?"

He nodded. "I really do."

Hazel eyes fell shut for a moment. "You do know what you want then… And it's not me."

"I'm sorry Lore."

"No, don't be sorry; be sure. So that I can be sure… If you have any doubts…"

"I have plenty," Alex looked back at his girl. "But I'm sure I wanna work through them and put them behind us."

Lauren stared at the way he looked at Keegan. She nodded to herself with a ragged determination. She wrapped her arms around herself and shuffled toward Keegan. The actress squared her shoulders but Lauren seemed much smaller now.

"You were right. I had nothing to do with it. I shouldn't have gotten involved. It was wrong and I was wrong. I'm sorry I made you go through it and relive it." Lauren tucked back a strand of blonde hair.

Keegan glanced at Alex, her jade eyes wide and uncertain; he didn't blink until she looked away again. She relaxed her tense demeanor.

"It's been a struggle every day; I relive it almost every night." She shook her head, "you didn't change that. You were wrong, but you also forced me to face something I've been running from since I was 14. No one's ever believed me, but I guess proof was always in the pictures."

"I can't understand why no one ever saw it. When I saw your photos I was sick. It's obvious what he was doing to you."

"I just think my mother needed security and stability too much. She chooses to ignore it. I've tried to make her see it but…" Keegan shrugged the rest of her words.

"How'd you get her pictures?" Alex finally asked.

Lauren looked down at the tiles once more, she sighed heavily. "Sage said that you'd have proof somewhere, in a diary or in home movies. She couldn't have anything come back on her 'cause she's in the press so I had someone I know from home come down to hang out for a week and he broke into Keegan's house. I told him to find anything that looked really personal. I'm sorry all your paintings got destroyed. That was Sage's idea. She said it would look better if your whole place got wrecked."

Keegan shut her eyes for a moment; Alex placed a hand on her shoulder unsure of the reaction he was trying to quell. But she merely nodded slightly.

"Well, I'm not gonna pretend that didn't hurt… That was probably the worst part before I knew the photos were gone. I can't tell you that I forgive you or that I'm okay with all this, 'cause… wow. But I can't change it either. It's done and I have to live with it now. And it's about time I step up." Keegan glanced at Alex for a moment and he squeezed her shoulder. "But you damn sure owe me."

"I know…" Lauren relented. "You should call the cops."

"I plan on it, and then I want you to tell them that Sage Whitlock plotted this whole thing, she coerced you into it. I don't know what will happen to you, but I promise to focus on Sage in all my complaints if you agree to implicate her."

Lauren worried her bottom lip once more before nodding slightly in agreement.


	23. Chapter 23

~This is it guys… the last official chapter of Alex & Keegan's saga. There is an epilogue after this, but it's really over. I'm proud and sad and excited… I feel like this is my kid going off to college lol. I want to thank everyone who has read this and reviewed it; everyone who put it on their favorites and alerts, it's been a long process but I've loved writing this. Keegan is probably my favorite character and there might be some snipets of her and Alex's life in the future. Thank you again and I hope you like the ending.~

~Chapter 23~

The resolved quiet that had settled on the locker room was short lived. A minute after Lauren's reluctant nod the Knockout's door was pushed open and a stagehand led in Gemini and their two guests. Keegan's gasp rattled the pin-drop silence. She shrank away instinctively as David and Kate trailed the twins. Alex's eyes widened; but then grew nearly black and he glanced behind him once to check on Keegan before he stepped completely in front of her; hiding her from the others.

"Hi all," Sage Whitlock greeted with a blinding smile, "how are we tonight?"

"What the hell are you doing?" Alex growled.

"I just thought it would be nice to have a reunion of sorts. Why when I found out that Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery would be here in Orlando I just had to arrange this surprise for Keegs. Aren't you surprised hun?"

Sage's huge counterfeit smile turned into a dangerous smirk when she glanced behind Alex.

"Something wrong Keegs? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Keegan whimpered and buried her face into Alex's back. He felt her fist the sides of his shirt and he reached behind him to brush his fingers against her arm.

"Keegan." Kate took a step toward her daughter, "Keegan, stop being ridiculous, come out here and talk to us."

The young actress began to tremble against Alex. He shifted closer to her obscuring her more from view.

"Keegan," her mother's tone was a bit more desperate. "Please, I want to see you baby."

She waited a long time before she finally managed to whisper, "why?"

"Why?" Kate repeated, "you're my daughter."

"No I'm not… Not anymore."

"Keegan, stop being so melodramatic," David huffed. "Could you please excuse us young man?"

"No," Alex immediately retorted.

"I don't see what this has to do with you at all," he sneered. "Get out of the way. We want to see our daughter."

Alex's whole body tensed and had Keegan not been clinging to the back of his shirt he would have tackled David into the wall. Instead he squared his shoulders more and glowered at the older man.

"Go to hell. Jamie, go get security and have this piece of trash escorted out."

"Just who the hell do you think you are boy?" David boomed. He took two steps toward Alex but seemed to rethink it when he saw Chris tense and shift closer to his tag partner.

"I wouldn't dude," the blonde warned.

"Stop it!" Kate suddenly shouted. She glanced at her husband before lowering her voice. "Keegan, look at what you're causing. Stop being silly and come here."

Keegan peered over Alex's shoulder for long moment before slowly inching her way out from behind him. She immediately took his hand though and made sure to stand right beside him. She was chewing on her bottom lip; her green eyes were so fearful, quickly flitting back and forth between Kate and her step-father. Kate seemed to note the look on her daughter's face; but she chose to ignore it as she threw her arms around Keegan and hugged her tightly.

"Oh Keegan," she sighed "I can't believe it's finally you."

There was no indication that she wanted Alex to release her hand, instead she clutched it tighter and kept her arms down not reciprocating her mother's embrace.

"Baby?" Kate pulled back abruptly but left her hands around Keegan's rigid arms. "Please stop this foolishness. We're here to talk to you."

"Why?" Her voice was rough, it sounded strange to Alex; he was used to the soft rich velvet tone. "What do we need to talk about now?"

Kate's hazel eyes wavered and she needed a second before she could answer.

"About what's happened, what they printed in the papers about your father."

"He's not my father," she snarled. Alex watched the way she glared at David.

"Really Keegan," David sighed. "Aren't you a little old for this kind of behavior?"

Alex bit the tip of his tongue to keep his caustic comment to himself. Keegan scoffed loudly though.

"I was the right age for you before."

"Oh Jesus…" David rolled his cold blue eyes. "You're so delusional. I never touched you and you know it!"

Kate put a hand on Keegan's cheek and although she tried to pull away from the caress her mother managed to draw her jade eyes back to hers.

"Keegan, please." Kate began softly like she was talking just to her. "It's over now, just tell the truth. Tell us that David never touched you… Tell _me _that he never hurt you."

Alex felt Keegan's hand slip from his as she stared into her mother's hazel eyes. She brought it up to mirror the one against her cheek in a nearly loving manner. But then her fingers curled tightly around her mother's wrist.

"I'll tell you Mom. I'll tell everything you wanna hear," she began with a quiet smoldering sternness. "I'll tell you that he _never _used to sneak into my room and sit on the end of my bed and stare at me while I slept. I'll tell you that he _never_ ripped the blankets off of me and forced himself in my bed; he _never_ used to hold me down so I couldn't breathe and touch my body; he_ never_ peeled my panties down to my knees and push his way inside of me."

"Stop it now!" David roared; his face flaming red.

Keegan ignored him and squeezed her mother's wrist when she tried to turn toward him.

"He _never_ used to slip his hand onto my knee at the dinner table when you were in the next chair. He _never _used to hold my hand on his crotch and buck up into it. He _never _came in the bathroom to watch me while I was in the shower; he _never_ used to dangle the towel above my head and tell me to jump for it."

"No… St-stop it Keegan. You're lying." Kate sniffled and stepped away from her daughter; but Keegan dug her nails into her mother's wrist and forced her to look back at her.

"You're right Mom, I _am_ lying," silent tears were slipping from her emerald eyes. "I'm _lying _about the way he used to pull me into the pool and press himself against me. I'm _lying_ about the way he would shove me into your bedroom when you weren't home and turn the T.V. up for Zachy and Ryan so they wouldn't hear me scream or hear him moan. I'm _lying _about the way he would dare me to scream louder; he said it turned him on because I had to be so quiet when you were home. I'm _lying _about all that. Is that what you wanted to hear Mom?"

"You dirty little slut," David seethed. "You are a lair. She's lying Katherine."

Kate seemed ensnared by Keegan's gaze; she didn't flinch at her husband's exclamation. The hand on Keegan's cheek began to tremble and Kate took her bottom lip between her teeth. Keegan's eyes remained wet but steeled with tenacity.

"He did do all those things, didn't he?" Kate whispered.

Keegan nodded, almost like she couldn't trust her voice.

"No!" David insisted. "Katherine, come to your senses! You know she's an unstable child."

"But she's my child… I knew… I knew all that time. I should have protected her." Kate replied without moving her focus from Keegan. "I'm sorry."

"What?" David advanced and whirled his wife around. "You are being as crazy as she is."

He turned his frosty glare on Keegan and reached out to grab her. Alex reacted before Keegan even had the chance to shy away. He jerked her roughly back behind him and snatched David's wrist with his own hand.

"You do not get to touch her ever again," he hissed through clenched teeth.

"Let go of me," David's tone was just as menacing. "I plan on teaching the bitch just what happens to liars."

Alex never hesitated; he twisted David's wrist painfully and yanked his arm behind his back and pulled it up putting more pressure on the hold.

"Ahh! You're gonna break my arm," he bent trying to relieve some of the pressure. "Let go! I'm gonna press charges."

"Go 'head," Alex pulled higher. "It'd be worth it to snap your arm off." He shoved him down and forward, then used the point of his knee to hold him against the bench. "You're disgusting… I should break it for everything you've done to her."

"I never touched her," David insisted squeezing his eyes closed against the pain burning through his shoulder and down his arm to his fingers.

"Lair!" Alex growled and twisted the wrist further. He felt the tendons strain just below the skin and David cried out.

"Alex!" Chris shouted as a warning.

"Tell them the truth… Tell them what you did to her," he ignored the blonde and hitched David's arm again.

He whimpered in agony and laid his head against the wooden bench. "She was always asking for it… I had to get her to respect me… I- Ahh!"

Alex twisted his wrist the rest of the way and pulled his arm higher. He felt the bones finally snap and the shoulder pop out of its socket. David screamed and jerked forward hanging himself over the bench. Alex dropped his arm uselessly and let it bang against the edge of the bench. Rage more powerful than he'd ever known burned through his veins, his heat beat pounded wildly in his ears. His breathing was quick and uneven when he turned onyx eyes away from the lump on the bench. Jamie was squeezing Chris' hand in a vice and her beautiful hazel eyes were huge and glassy. Chris stared at his partner with wide blue eyes struggling to process the scene that had just unfolded. Lauren had turned away and was staring at the floor. Gemini seemed shocked, their jaws practically hitting the tiles. Sage slipped behind Poe when Alex glared at her. Kate stood there next to Keegan a shaking hand covering her mouth.

Keegan was the only one with a steady gaze on Alex. The others kept darting back and forth between him and David unsure just where to look. She had a strange expression on her face; her eyes were shifting from shock to this almost proud look. Alex felt his pulse slow when he finally met her emerald eyes. He grabbed her by the wrist in an eerily similar fashion and pulled her against him. He pressed her palm over his chest and buried his face in ruby her tresses. His shaking began to lessen when he felt her free hand at the nape of his neck. She squeezed the muscles gently, slowly kneading the tension away.

"Shh Trix," her breath kissed over his ears, "Shh… Thank you."

Alex pulled her closer disregarding everything else around him. He pressed his face against her cool neck gulping quick mouthfuls of air. The adrenaline was leaving his system and he was afraid to open his eyes to look at the chaos he had created. But Keegan brought her hand from his chest to his cheek and made him look at her instead. Those emerald eyes were shining with something he had never seen before; he tried to comprehend it: Relief. Relief from all the ghosts that had ever haunted her. It danced in her eyes like firelight making her whole face glow; Alex's decisiveness slowly came back to him. He knew he would have snapped David's arm clean off and worse to give her that relief, that safety.

"I love you." Keegan whispered letting her lips trace the words over Alex's.

"Shelley, Sabin, What the hell is going on?" Jeff Jarrett's thick Tennessee twang demanded from the open door.

"Call an ambulance and the cops now," David writhed on the bench. "He broke my arm."

"What?" The owner of TNA whirled around to face the Guns. "Someone start talking now!"

Sage stepped out from behind Poe and tugged the top of her strapless her dress a little lower, "Well to be perfectly honest Mr. Jarrett… You're boy went crazy and attacked a fan."

"Who the hell are you?" Jeff crossed his arms over his chest.

"Sage Whitlock," she threw her hair over her shoulder. "You want to use our song for your event next month."

"Who gave you clearance to be back here with the talent? And who the hell are these two?" Jeff thumbed at David and Kate.

Before Sage could retort with the comment burning on her lips Keegan stepped forward.

"Let me explain Jeff," she began, "Sage and Poe tried to orchestrate a family reunion to hurt me, but I'm not going to let it anymore." Keegan narrowed her eyes at Sage. "I have all the real family I need right here, and they'll never let anything hurt me."

"He was going to attack my daughter again," Kate spoke up ignoring her husband's glare. "Alex was protecting her."

"How'd you even get back here? I beefed up security to avoid all this," Jeff scratched the back of his neck trying not to glance at David and the way he hugged his dangling arm to his chest.

"I gave them pass Jeff," Lauren admitted. "Sage told me it was a surprise for Keegan; I didn't know it was an unwanted surprise."

"What?" Sage hissed glaring at the blonde. "Is that really what happened Lauren?"

"Yes," Jamie added moving to stand beside her Beautiful partner. "I was there when you called her and asked for them."

Sage scoffed. "Who are you again? Really Lauren don't do this; you'll be the one who regrets it."

"I already do." She replied staring straight into Sage's cold blue eyes. "I was so caught up that I lost sight of everything, even who I was… What you wanted to accomplish here tonight," she shook her head. "To deliberately hurt someone so badly… And to think I helped you."

Jeff looked around the knockouts locker room at the disarray of people and he chose to ignore the disarray of the story that was coming together. Damn if only creative could write stuff this compelling he'd put Vince out of work for sure. Alex caught Jeff's gaze momentarily and the older wrestler was taken aback by the haggard look on his face. He knew that look; it was fear and the sheer weariness of pushing yourself through that fear mixed with the fierce determination of knowing that you'd find a way to make it through again. He'd had that same look; those same haunted eyes as he watched his wife slowly succumb to her illness. Jeff nodded to Alex and to himself.

"You helped her by getting her the passes right Lauren?" Jeff asked. "I'm calling the police and I just want to make sure that we're clear. You helped her with the passes and nothing else right?"

"That's it Jeff," Keegan immediately spoke up first. "Lauren isn't the type to stoop to Sage's level. She's all alone."

"Just like I told her she would be." Alex finally seemed to come back to himself. "She's been threatening Keegan for weeks now, harassing Lauren for these passes to arrange this encounter. She purposefully wanted to wreak havoc."

"Well good, Lauren can corroborate that when the authorities arrive. I'll send a medic down here for now," Jeff glanced at David and grabbed his phone.

"You think you're just going to get away with this?" Sage glowered. "Don't be so naïve. You won't get off scott free you bitch. I'm taking you down with me."

"Try me," Lauren's mouth quirked up in a smirk.

"You're out numbered here skank," Jamie retorted. She reached over and tangled her fingers with Lauren's. The blonde tightened her grip as Jamie pursed her lips mockingly at the singer.

"It sucks when you're utterly alone doesn't it Sage?" Alex put his hand on Lauren's shoulder. He felt her begin to tremble and she glanced at him with an apology swimming in her hazel eyes. He squeezed her shoulder and offered her a soft smile.

"Better to be alone than stupid," she replied curtly. "Don't think this is over, either of you. You will be the ones who regret crossing me."

Keegan glared at the singer. She took a step forward her fists clenched at her sides. Sage quirked an eyebrow in a challenge and put her hands on her hips. Keegan almost struck at her but Kate put her hand over her daughter's shoulder. Keegan stilled; she looked back at her mother for a long quiet moment. Finally she slumped back and settled for scowling at Gemini.

"Let the police handle it Keegan. They're not worth any more of your time. Concentrate on you now baby," Kate advised.

"How cute, going for your Mother of the Year award? I think you're about 4 years too late." Sage retorted. "Keegan, are you really going to be able to have those heart to heart mother daughter talks knowing that she chose her husband over you. She let him hurt you; she turned a blind eye to your suffering. Don't forget that."

"That's enough!" Alex yelled when he saw Keegan pull her bottom lip between her teeth. "Get her out of here." He ordered the security that had come down with the medic Jeff had sent for.

"Eww! Don't touch me," Sage screamed scratching at the guards' hands. "I'm done here anyway. Have fun with your d-list life Keegan."

Sage turned on her stiletto heel and marched out of the knockouts' locker room. Poe seemed to sigh disinterestedly and followed his twin out not looking back once. Alex put his hand on the back of Keegan's neck and pulled her into him. She slipped her hand over his heart.

"Oww!" David's cry made a smile twitch at the corners of her mouth and she turned to watch the medic examine him. "You'll pay for this you bastard."

Alex smirked, "Try me buddy. Please."

"Katherine, you're a witness; you're obligated to tell the police what you saw." David gritted his teeth.

"Oh I will," she assured him. "I'll tell them that you tried to attack my daughter again and that her boyfriend was protecting her. You'll get what's coming to you."

"I'd rethink that if you want to see the boys again Bitch," he growled.

Kate's eyes darkened to a blackish green, like algae on dark water. Her small mouth set in a hard straight line. "If you think I'm letting you get near _my_ boys ever again you're delusional. I'm going back to the house and I'm taking them with me. You'll never see them again, but I'll see you in court. You will pay for what you did to my daughter."

"Zachy and Ryan are mine, so long as there is breath in my body you'll never take them from me."

"You're a monster; my boys won't grow up to be like you. You're going to spend the rest of your life rotting in jail."

"Really? Not without proof and I know my little _kitten_ won't testify against me," he leered at Keegan.

She shuddered in Alex's arms and shrank back again.

"That's what I thought kitten. You know it's all our secret, do you really want everybody to know?"

Keegan shut her eyes tight; her shaking was getting worse and she began to mumble softly to herself.

"Kam?" Alex cupped her cheek holding her face level with his own. "Don't listen to him Baby. You know you can do this. You know how strong you are. Don't let him get to you now."

"I can't… I can't…" She shook her head and tears began to leak from under her lashes.

"Yes you can," Alex told her firmly. He laid his forehead against hers. "You're not alone anymore. I'm here Keegan. You won't have to do it alone."

Alex kept whispering to her and slowly her trembling calmed. She opened her eyes revealing a perfect emerald green. A solid stone resolve settled in them and she squared her shoulders with a distinct determination. She turned back to face David and she sneered at his self-assured smirk.

"No. I won't be your dirty secret anymore. I do want everybody to know just what you did to me. I want to tell everybody just what you are. You're not in control anymore; I'm taking back what you stole from me."

The paramedics had arrived and wheeled the stretcher through the locker room door. As the room filled the hallway also got crowded with people stopping to investigate the scene. Keegan found Alex's hand and they left the knockouts locker room. They ignored the calls from the rest of the roster and headed silently up the corridor. Keegan paused at the Guns locker room but Alex moved her toward the exit at the back parking lot. The air was filled with sirens and they could see the ambulance and two police cars parked in the main lot of the studio through the chain linked fence. Keegan leaned up against the side of the brick structure while Alex pulled out his pack of cigarettes. He blew the smoke up and away from her. She flashed him her worn sweater smile and he felt warmth spread over him.

"You're right ya know?" He told her. "About what you said earlier; you do have a family now. Nothing's going to hurt you ever again."

"Not as long as I have you."

His chest tightened and his blood thickened like honey. He flipped the cigarette up and closed his fist around it to keep the smoke out of her face so he could put his arm up on the wall above her head and lean forward and brush the tip of his nose against hers.

"You'll always have me Kam. I told you this is for keeps."

"Good. 'Cause I wanna keep you forever." She smiled.

"I love you Keegan."

Alex took her lips in a slow passionate kiss. His nicotine mixed with her sharp berry taste. He let his cigarette fall to the ground so he could he reach up and tangle his fingers in her ruby waves.


	24. Epilogue

~Epilogue~

Alex grimaced as he hit the mat; the sound reverberated around the empty arena. He laid there a moment and flexed his fingers.

"You alright 'Lex?" Chris asked.

Alex opened his eyes and found the concerned baby blues of Chris right above him.

"I'm good." He sat up slowly, slower than he would have liked.

"Gettin' old Shelley?" James Storm quipped.

"What was that Grandpa?" he retorted getting to his feet. He adjusted his track shorts and began to rub at the knot in his lower back.

Robert Roode chuckled. "Let's finish this up. I gotta get him back to the home before they give out the j-ello."

Chris snickered at the Tennessee Cowboy's incredulous expression. "Damn Jimmy even your own partner's hatin'."

"That's cold ya'll… Damn Bobby, I don't even like j-ello," Storm replied. "Except for j-ello shots."

Alex laughed and rolled his eyes. "C'mon quit stallin' bitches; let's get to the finish so we can practice our victory poses."

"Seriously, I can't wait to do this in front of the whole arena. To finally get our shot at the belts at a pay-per-view event… I'm getting goose bumps already," Chris rubbed over his bare arms.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Robert mocked. "I mean I guess it's your time to shine. It's only been 4 years."

"Ya'll are just holding the belts for us for a little while anyway, so don't get too attached to them boys," James added.

"Oh really?" Alex quirked a brow, "Apparently you guys just haven't been watching. The Motor City Machine Guns are the greatest tag team in the world today; we've deserved these belts from the day we started teaming together and we're damn sure not gonna let them go as long as we have a breath in our bodies."

"Save it for the promo Shelley," James smirked.

Alex shrugged and the two teams got back to the spots that were arranged for the title match. They knew each other well enough to not need much practice and before long the Guns were grabbing dinner in the restaurant of the roster's hotel.

"I can't wait for tomorrow night man. The pay-per-view's are always so crazy and we finally get what's ours." Chris grinned while munching on his fries.

"I can't believe you're eating those right now. We have the biggest match of our careers in less than 24 hours and you're stuffing your face with grease and salt," Alex chastised.

"Will you get off my back man. Between you and Jamie I can barely eat a meal in peace."

"Because you eat shit."

Chris shook his head and picked up another fry. "Whatever. You hear from Keegan yet?"

"Yeah, she texted me a little while ago; she and Jackson were doing press and she's got a dress fitting later."

"A dress fitting? Shouldn't that have been done already? I mean the premiere for her movie is tomorrow night."

"It is done; she just has to try out hair and make up styles for it so they can decide what look they want."

"Dude, there's alotta girly shit to being a movie star," Chris pointed out.

"Yeah." Alex agreed pushing the vegetables around on his plate.

"It does suck that she couldn't make it to Victory Road though man. I'm sorry."

"Oh," Alex shrugged and then let his fork drop. "I mean it's just a match. I'm more upset that I can't be there for the debut of her movie. She's been working on it for over a year now."

"The biggest events in your lives would have to occur on the same day and in two different cities," Chris shook his head.

"Story of our lives," Alex sighed and pushed his plate away from him.

Chris' phone chimed and he picked it up to read his text, a familiar smile lit up his face.

"Um… Did you like wanna hang out tonight or anything?" The blonde asked as he bit his bottom lip.

"Not if it's gonna cramp your style dude. Go hang out with your girl. I'm just gonna go to bed."

"Are you sure? You're totally welcomed to come chill."

"I'll pass," the brunette declined. "Is Lauren around or is she hanging out with Jeremy?"

"I think they went out tonight. Who saw that coming? He was so miserable when she was gone, it was like pathetic. She was only gone for like four months."

"Yeah, Jeff was really good to her letting her go back to Canada while the investigation went down," Alex smiled, "the work visa thing was genius; totally worked with the fans. Sage is still trying to get on any talk show and put the blame on Lauren."

"Too bad nobody wants her. She's got major problems dude."

"She's just a spoiled bitch," he spat. "Keegan's career only got better because of her. Once everything came out it all backfired."

"I'm still surprised Keegan didn't take more time off," Chris commented as he texted Jamie back.

"I tried to get her to take more. The studio said they'd wait as long as she needed. Once her part in David's trial was over she wanted to go back to work. Being a character helps her deal with things, she can be someone different for a while. Her nightmares have almost completely stopped now, and they're nowhere near as bad as they use to be."

"Good. That was a lot to deal with man, I'd wanna be someone else after too."

"I bet David wants to be someone else too," Alex smirked. "15 years without parole… Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy."

"Definitely got what he deserved," Chris nodded too. "And so did Keegan; she finally got justice."

"Yeah, it's helped her too."

"No," the blonde disagreed. "You helped her 'Lex. You saved her."

Chris' phone went off and he glanced down at it. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"You ask me that one more time and I'm gonna put itching powder in your jock tomorrow. Get outta here and go get laid. I want the right head in the game tomorrow night."

Chris winked at his partner and tossed some bills down on the table. "Catch ya later bro."

Alex shook his head and signaled for the check.

~xxx~

The lights were swirling above him and his back felt like it was on fire. He squeezed his eyes closed and concentrated on his breathing. When he opened his eyes the lights were still and he finally began to crawl over to Chris. He was taking longer than he was supposed to and the ref kept asking him if he was alright. He growled that he was fine and slapped Chris' hand. The blonde leapt over the top rope and Alex rolled off the apron. He rested on his knees out on the floor of the arena. He cursed his lower back before looking up and watching Chris hit his Tornado DDT. After a couple more deep breaths he pulled himself back up on the apron and grabbed the tag rope.

Beer Money was able counter the near fall and Robert Roode tagged himself in when James Storm stumbled over into the corner. Chris was ready and he went at the fresh man. They traded blows for a second but then Roode was able to clothesline Sabin nearly taking his head off. Alex took his cue and came in. He landed a kick to the back of Roode's head before diving through the top and middle ropes at James Storm. They landed in a heap by the ramp. Chris got to his feet in the ring and was able to gain control over Robert Roode. He hit him with some stiff chops and backed him up in the corner. He held him there with the sole of his boot against his throat. Alex had gotten up and he tossed James Storm into the fan barricade then he met his partner in the corner to deliver the Guns' signature double kick. Chris got the front while Alex hit Roode in the back of the head. Chris caught him as he fell forward and twisted him in a neck-breaker. Alex climbed to the top rope and hit him with a frog splash.

Chris quickly floated over after the Skull and Bones into the cover. Alex watched the Tennessee Cowboy ready to stop him if he tried to get in to break up the count. When the ref hit the mat for the third time the crowd erupted and Alex's knees buckled. He fell in the middle of the ring just listening to the deafening cheers around him. He felt Chris slide his arm over his chest from behind and something cold hit his sweaty skin. He glanced up at the ref when he held the second belt out to Alex. It took him a moment to grasp that he was supposed to take it. Everything was hazy and seemed so surreal; like he was a little boy dreaming all this again.

"We did it 'Lex. We did it," Chris' voice shook in his ear.

He grabbed the belt from the ref and held it against his chest. He laid his head back against Chris' body and looked up into those teary blue eyes. He sniffed hard and let his partner pull him to his feet. The Guns instantly fell into a tight embrace; the tag belts squished between them. When they pulled away Alex grabbed the back of Chris' neck and forced their eyes to meet for a moment.

"Thank you," he whispered to his partner.

"Thank you," Chris smiled.

Alex grinned and the Guns separated. They climbed up to the middle turnbuckle and held up their Championship belts proudly to the fans. They went to the opposite side of the ring and did the same. The cheers got louder and the Guns held up the belts once more in the middle of the ring before they headed up the ramp. Alex's progress was slow as his back began to tighten up and Chris' knee was causing him to limp more than walk. But they held up the tag belts once more at the top of the ramp soaking in everything that they had worked so hard for. The audience screamed again telling the Guns they appreciated their performance and letting them know that this moment was long overdue.

Alex placed most of his weight on the railing as he went down the steps behind the curtain; Chris limped down behind him. Beer Money was waiting for them and grabbed the younger team in a hug.

Robert's ribs were already bandaged but he squeezed Alex tight. "Thanks Shelley. We killed it out there man."

"We did," he beamed. "Thanks man."

Robert nodded. "C'mere Blondie," he pulled Chris into a hug next and thanked him as well.

"Hell of a show Shelley," James Storm grabbed the younger Machine Gun in another embrace. "Thank you."

Alex clapped the larger man on the back and offered his own gratitude.

"The straps look good on you guys," Jeff Jarrett grinned and threw an arm around the new champs. "Great job boys."

"Thanks Jeff. Did you hear the people out there man?" Chris grinned, "our run better be a long one if you don't want riots."

"Seriously, they loved it man. It was so epic… I can't even describe it. Like everything I wanna say is just too cliché and not enough," Alex raked a hand back through his sweaty hair.

"Watch the rise of the Machine Guns baby, we're about to take over," Chris caressed his belt.

"I don't doubt it guys, in fact I'm counting on it," Jeff replied.

"Baby!" Jamie was suddenly jogging up to them. She still had her ring attire on with a hoodie pulled over her shoulders. She launched herself at the blonde. "You were so great out there; I'm so proud of you!"

Chris stumbled back a step when he caught her but the wince quickly was forgotten when he pulled her into him leaving no space between their skin. Jamie tangled her fingers into his dark blonde hair and pressed her mouth to his. She placed two more pecks to his lips before she suddenly seemed to realize they were still surrounded by the other guys. She tucked some of her curls behind her ear and a light pink tinged her cheeks.

"Damn girl where's my kiss?" James joked.

"Well maybe when you win you'll get one," she retorted.

Chris laughed and dropped a kiss to her forehead. "That's right, she only runs with Champs man."

"And those belts have never looked better," she ran her fingers across the gold before smiling up at Chris again.

"I see how it is," Robert chuckled. "C'mon Jim, we should let the Champs celebrate, 'cause they won't have those titles for long."

"You want some," Chris raised his chin.

"Come get some," Alex finished showing off his new belt.

"I think that saying is already trademarked somewhere guys," Jeff joked. "Great job though. Gives me some ideas; you and Beer Money are most definitely money. This feud isn't over with just yet, but enjoys this moment guys. You do deserve it."

The founder smiled at the new tag team champs before heading back down the hall.

"It was a great match guys. The finish was amazing." Jamie grinned. "The crowd popped so hard, you could feel the vibrations back here."

"Yeah, I thought my ear drums were gonna burst when the three count hit," Chris agreed.

Alex smiled tiredly. He was starting to feel the after effects more and decided that a very hot shower was in order. "I'm hitting the showers dude. Catch up with you in a bit."

"Sure 'Lex," Chris nodded wrapping his arms back around Jamie.

Alex shook his head and went to the Guns locker room.

"Baby Bear," Lauren caught him just before he made inside the door. She threw her arms around him and he laughed as he hugged her tightly. "That was sooo amazing! Match of the frickin year I swear."

"Thanks Lore. It was so awesome out there, I feel like I was watching a dream or something."

"Nope, it's 100% reality. You're a champ."

Alex glanced down at the belt on his shoulder. "Man, I gotta get used to seeing that on my arm."

"It won't take you very long," Lauren smiled. "I just wanted to come say congratulations, but Jeremy went to get the car. We've got a flight to catch."

"Where are you going?" Alex asked and hitched the belt higher on his shoulder.

"We're going home for the weekend. We've got a few apartments to look at in Toronto."

"Together?" The new tag champ quirked a brow. "That's like a step Lore."

"I know," she tucked some of her platinum hair behind her ear. "I'm scared. I've only ever lived with Jamie before. But I know that she and Chris want a place of their own now."

"He practically lives over there anyway. Salinger uses his bed more than he does."

Lauren smirked. "That cat is more of a person than Chris is."

"Tell me about it," Alex agreed. "When did you and Jeremy decide to take the plunge?"

"We've been talking about it since New Years really. He said he wanted to have a place of our own to decorate this year and the idea just kinda progressed."

"It's July; it's taken you 6 months to start looking?"

The former Knockout's champion shrugged and bit her bottom lip.

"Well I mean you guys are pretty serious now," Alex brushed against the ring on her finger.

Lauren raised her right hand to look at it. It was a small heart shaped setting shown off by tiny diamonds with a small pearl resting in the middle. It was simple and beautiful.

"I know," she sighed with a smile.

"When's the ring gonna be on the left hand?"

Alex snickered at the wide-eyed expression he received. Lauren took a very deep breath and shook her head.

"I don't know yet but not for a while. We both know that for a fact. We've been taking it slow and this just feels like a right step now ya know?"

Alex nodded. "I'm happy for you Lauren. I'm glad you found Jeremy."

"So am I. Everything worked out didn't it?"

"Yeah," he smiled softly at her.

"Well, I should go; don't wanna miss our flight. See ya next week Baby Bear."

Alex pulled her into a quick hug, "Good luck."

"Thanks. Tell Keegan I say bye," Lauren smirked when the embrace ended. "Later."

Alex furrowed his brows but shouted good-bye after her.

He pushed the locker room door opened and shuffled inside. He spread the belt out on the bench and just stared at it for a moment. His chest swelled with pride. He pushed the heels of his hands into his brown eyes to stop the emotional tears from welling up again.

"Finally," he breathed.

"It's about damn time Shelley." A velvet voice kissed his ears.

Alex spun around; his eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "Kam? What… How?"

Keegan smiled and approached him. She was in a pair of black leggings and one of his old Made in Detroit shirts that she had modified into a dress with the MCMG dog tag hanging around her neck. Her hair was in soft ringlets and the right side swept up in an old glamorous fashion. Her make-up was flawless; if not a bit much for the subdued outfit. Alex knew that she had stepped right off the red carpet.

"Did you really think I'd miss this?" She smiled slipping her arms up around his neck.

"But you're supposed to be in LA at your premiere. How in the world did you get here?"

"I went to my premiere. I walked down the carpet with Jackson and my mom, once I was in the theatre Emmett snuck me out the back and we went to the airport where Britt had chartered a jet to bring me here," she explained. "I made it just in time for the girl's match; I watched it with Christy in the knockouts locker room."

"That was right before our match," Alex remembered. "You watched us?"

"Of course," she proclaimed. "You were amazing; you and Chris really are the best in the world. You were on with every spot. But your back has gotta be wrecked."

Keegan began to softly knead at his lower back with the tips of her fingers. He grimaced and leaned into her body burying his head into her neck.

"Go hit the showers and I'll give you a massage when we get back to the hotel."

He moaned in absolute approval but made no effort to move. "Chris…"

"Staying with Jamie, Lauren's not gonna be there tonight," she answered.

"You heard already then?" he smiled.

"Yeah, she showed me some of the places they were gonna look at on her phone earlier. They're nice apartments."

"Good." Alex began to place butterfly kisses along the column of her throat. "You should come join me in the shower, I might need help."

"Oh really?" Keegan snickered. "I think we should save the celebration for the hotel room, you know I don't like interruptions."

"Mmm," he purred finally moving his kisses to her glossy pout. "Well good, 'cause I've got a whole week to make up for."

She laughed against his lips, "it has been a long week." She shoved him back gently; her jade eyes sparkled. "Go take your shower Champ."

Alex glanced back at his title laid out on the bench and then looked back at his girl, "I like the sound of that," he smirked.

~xxx~


End file.
